Adrienette

After finishing their homework, the young couple had resigned themselves to snuggling and watching movies in Adrien's room. Plagg and Tikki overwatched them from Plagg's nest in the rafters. What neither of them had expected was a sudden hack into the tv, Adrien's computer and their phones. Dark Owl appeared, "Ladybug, Chat Noir, give up your miraculous or the ambassador will die. You have until midnight." The broadcast showed Ambassador Rossi head in a prison cell, then cut off. They looked at each other both knowing the other was not in the mood to leave for an akuma battle. But they were heroes, small sacrifices needed to be made.

"Tikki spots on!"

"Plagg claws out!" The duo transformed, ready to take action. Checking outside to make sure no one was spying, they jumped out the window. Dark Owl didn't reveal his location, which meant they would have to patrol around the city for his location. In sync, they pulled out their earpieces to stay in constant communication. "Remember, hero names only. Got it kitty?"

"Of course Bugaboo." He winked, then kissed her on the cheek before vaulting off to his route. Ladybug simply smiled, then swung off on her patrol.

Luka

The broadcast startled him. This meant he would have to try and track down either the other heroes or the akuma. He didn't know about the communicator in his miraculous, leaving him in the dark. "Sass, scales slither!" The snake hero quickly jumped off, searching for both the heroes and the villain.

Kagami

Like the others, she was startled but eager to prove Ladybug correct in choosing her. However, like Viperion, she did not know of her communicator. "Longg, bring the storm!" Now Ryuko was also out on the hunt.

Dark Owl

Another one. That made four heroes out looking for him. Dark Owl watched the live feed from his Owl Mobile, in flight mode. Albert accessed the high powered cameras to locate the heroes, allowing the akuma to know where each of them was. "Four against one isn't exactly fair. I have no doubt I can pull it off, but it will be close. Ladybug and Chat Noir are both heading away from my Owl Base. These other two, they are both much closer."

A purple butterfly appeared across his face, "Dark Owl, I can ensure Ladybug and Chat Noir are busy and led even further away from you while you take care of these allies of theirs. Then you can use their lives as a bargaining chip. If Ladybug is willing to entrust them with a miraculous, then they must mean something to her."

"Excellent plan Hawkmoth. But what will distract them?"

"I have an ally that specializes in illusions and deceit. She will give you the time you need to subdue the others."

Dark Owl turned his attention back to the display. The two new heroes were now on the same rooftop. He could cast a hologram of himself via the Owl Mobile, leading the heroes into a trap. Once he forced them to use their powers, they would be helpless and on a time limit. "Albert, prep a hologram."

"Yes, Sir."

Lila

She had seen her mother held hostage. Pissed she texted Hawkmoth, demanding for her mother to be released. She received a text, assuring her that her mother is safe and will not be harmed. Next, he sent instructions to distract Ladybug and Chat Noir, listing their locations and to lead them as far away from Dark Owl. His last instruction was simple: Don't allow them to see you.

"Trixx let's pounce!" The kwami groaned as she was forced into the necklace. Volpina set off into the city, thinking of illusions to cast. Hawkmoth had mentioned she may be able to cast a second illusion. She was already able to hold transformation for ten minutes, so why not give it a shot?

Ryuko and Viperion

Viperion stopped for a moment to have a look around, debating which direction to head next. He was so deep in thought, he didn't notice Ryuko until she landed next to him, making him jump. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Any sign of the others? Or the akuma?"

He shook his head, "We are on our own for now. What do you know about the akuma? I heard he was akumatized before but I never have seen any footage of the fight."

"I don't even know who the victim is. Let's be on our guard."

Viperion opened his mouth to speak when he spotted an orange and black-figure landing on a roof not far away. "There!" Ryuko looked in the direction he pointed in, also spotting Dark Owl.

"Hurry before he gets away, we might be able to contain him until Ladybug can purify him. The duo ran after the akuma.

Ladynoir

Ladybug landed on a rooftop, reconsidering her patrol route. Maybe she was missing something, the akuma was her old school principal so perhaps he set up there. Before she could relay this theory to Chat, something popped up in the corner of her eye, an owl signal in the dark sky. The source was easily spotted. "Kitty?"

"I see it, M'Lady. But why would he be out there?"

"I'm not sure, be on your guard. I'll meet you there."

Dark Owl

He watched as Ladybug and Chat Noir raced away from his true location, while their allies followed his hologram. The plan was going better than he hoped. The new heroes were close to his Owl Base, his Owl Cave, his Owl Nest. The name still was in the works.

Viperion jumped over the last alley landing on the school roof. Ryuko waited, suspicious. Something was different about the school. Her eyes widened, the warning cry she shouted too late. An owl rang exploded in front of Viperion, knocking him off of the rooftop. "Wind dragon!" She caught him just in time, setting him down next to her while blowing back another set of owl rangs.

"Second Chance!" Now they had a set point to return too if needed. "Where did he go?"

Before Ryuko could comment she was suddenly caught in a grapple gun and hoisted up. "Water dragon!" Shifting into water, she escaped the grapple, reforming next to Viperion. "Quick use your second chance and catch him." But as the snake-themed hero reached to flick his miraculous, a flying car decloaked and rammed into him, knocking him off the rooftop and into an alley. The Owl Mobile shot out a pair of clamps, pinning Viperion's hands to the ground.

One power left, Ryuko raised her sword. She could either try and unpin Viperion, risking ambush with her guard down. Or she could locate the akuma and try to hold out. Making her decision she dove in the alley. Landing on Viperion, she grabbed his miraculous and slid it back.

Ladynoir

The heroic duo landed on a rooftop. Several rooftops away, Dark Owl stood waiting as he inspected his gadgets. "Wait until I get to the other side of him, then distract him. I will try to sneak up and grab the akuma."

"Wait wasn't the akuma in his computer last time?"

"Yeah, his sidekick, but Max upgraded it and made Albert portable."

"I think we need to talk to him. I mean look what happened in Terminator."

"What's a terminator?" Chat gave her a hurt look, shaking his head. "Don't give that look, not all of us have a media library in their bedroom."

"Touche M'Lady, but once we take this guy down again, we are having a marathon."

"I take it the phrase it's a school night won't change your mind?"

"Nope."

"Fine, wait for my signal, then get his attention." Chat nodded his acknowledgment as she swung off to go around the akuma. She landed on a rooftop next to Dark Owl's, unspotted by the akuma. "Now Chat."

"Hey feathers, didn't anyone ever tell you that Paris already has superheroes?"

"You stupid cat, when I am done with you, I will take your miraculous to Hawkmoth."

"Hmm. Nah, I rather like my ring. It's quite stylish, unlike your outfit. That thing is a catastrophe." The akuma roared, arcing his arms back to throw his weapons. Ladybug took this moment to jump out, casting her yoyo at the utility belt. But when the status quo yo hit Dark Owl, his spotlight and the hostage all dissipated in a cloud of orange smoke.

"What? No, it must have been the Fox, that is whoever stole it."

"But why are they making an illusion of Dark Owl?"

"You two are the protectors of Paris? Please, you can't even see through a simple illusion." The duo turned around, Rene Rouge standing there. "How Hawkmoth hasn't beaten you yet blows my mind."

"Alya?" Ladybug quivered, the sight of the reporter getting to her even transformed.

"Guess again. No, I am not an akuma, that one is currently taking out your allies. I am just the one who took the necklace from Alya, which to be honest wasn't hard."

Chat growled, "Why are you helping Hawkmoth?"

"We have similar goals," the Rene Rouge replied, "plus he knows how to truly use the miraculous."

"Show yourself!"

"Nah." With that the Fox hero disappeared, leaving Ladybug and Chat Noir alone, far away from the real akuma. Lila released her transformation. She had done it, cast two illusions in a single transformation.

Viperion

One moment he was stunned and pinned down, the next he was standing with Ryuko again. He grabbed her and pulled her out of the way of the incoming grapple. Dark Owl landed in front of them frustrated. "He has some kind of car, it's like one of those sentimonster's." Two of his scales beeped and disappeared. "Huh?"

Ryuko jumped in front of him, deflecting several owl rangs with her sword. "So we have two akuma's to fight?" Viperion grabbed her and jumped pulling her with him. They barely avoided the car. Dark Owl landed in front of them, rushing in for a brawl. Ryuko jumped ahead swinging in her blade at the villain. He barely blocked the blow with her gauntlets, flinging her back. Viperion slid under Ryuko, attempting to trip up the villain.

Dark Owl chose that moment to swing over to the school, dodging Viperion's attack, landing inside the courtyard. The heroes landed behind him. A large shipping crate was sitting on one side along with the Ambassador held just above it. "We have to get to safety, then meet up with Ladybug and Chat Noir!" Ryuko shouted, already moving to free the Ambassador. Viperion followed suit, not noticing another two scales fading away.

They landed on top of the crate, Ryuko raising her sword to slash the chains when the trapdoor they stood on opened. Both heroes fell, stunned by the sudden setback as the door shut them in. Inside the container was no cameras, no doors. Just a screen and a water sprinkler? Dark Owl laughed, his voice heard over the speakers inside the crate. "Water dragon!" Ryuko shifted around, looking for a weak spot, but there was none.

She started to call on her last power when Viperion clamped his hand over her mouth. "Don't, or you could electrocute me and the hostage. Nodding her understanding, Ryuko inspected the walls before slashing with her sword to no effect. "Must be some kind of strong material." Just then his final scale started beeping. "What?" I should have three minutes still!" His transformation started to fade as Ryuko forced herself to look away, slashing the webcam on top of the screen. Luka caught an exhausted Sass, "Sass, what happened?"

"The snake miraculous is a tricky thing at times. If someone other than the holder turns back time, it can react violently. We are lucky it only drained my energy. Otherwise Bunnix and Fluff would have a lot of work on their hands."

"Well we can't stay in here and we can't second chance out then what options do we have?" Ryuko asked as Luka fed his kwami.

"You can hand over your miraculous in the deposit box over here." Below the screen, a deposit box opened up. "Just hand them over and you are free to go."

"Or we can wait for Ladybug and Chat Noir to get here," Ryuko stated plainly.

"Yes, or you can suffocate. I wonder what will happen first, you run out of air or drown in whipped cream." The sprinkler started to fill the crate with whipped cream. "Don't worry, it's lactose-free."

Ryuko sighed, why did the akumas have to nutjobs.