I've returned with chapter 3. I'm hopping that this will be the last episode that pushes the plot so hard, and I can do a few more "fluffy' chapters. Still with Akuma attacks and character development, of course, but a little more laid back in terms of Rothan's introductory arc.

That being said, we return to the Black Mantis two days later, trying to write on a warm summer night and having a rough time of it...

"This sucks!" Rothan finally admitted as he pushed himself away from the vanity/desk contraption his mother had rigged for him. "I can't write tonight, Staffe. My brain is on the fritz."

"That's fair, Rothan." The little green Kwamii floated up from his perch at the window and over to his partner. "I can imagine not being to get out has been rough on you."

"It really has." Rothan grumbled as he spun in his chair. "Stupid Ladybug."

"She's only trying to protect you and your mother."

"I'm aware of that. But there is a difference between protecting and overreacting." He was referring, of course, to the conversation they had had in the Louvre plaza two days ago, which hadn't gone well. "She needs to relax a bit."

"She means well," Staffe offered again, but it sounded hollow to even him. Rothan harrumphed and stood up, stretching. This whole thing is crazy. How could everything go wrong so quick through one conversation?

He had arrived on the plaza thirty minutes early, sipping a cup of hot tea and glancing at the passerby, all of whom were curious about this new stranger who had appeared on television only a few hours before. A younger girl, no older than seven, had run up to him with the kind of curiosity that only a child could have. "Are you the bug man that was helping Ladybug and Chat Noir today?"

"That was me, sweetheart," he smiled and crouched down to get to her level. "The name's Black Mantis."

"You looked funny. Where were your hands?"

"You want to see?" She giggled and nodded, and he took three steps back to ensure he didn't have any accidents. Then he flicked his wrists and out came his blades, shining orange-grey in the setting sun. He posed and gave her a wink. "What do you think?"

"They're so pretty," she breathed as other civilians took a step away for safety or pulled out cameras. "You're cool, Black Mantis!"

He beamed and got a playful glint in his eye. "I have some apples in my snack bag, don't I?"

A few. Why? Staffe seemed to be both irritated and amused. And aren't you supposed to be somewhere?

"I've got time. Let's see how good you make my reflexes." Retrieving the round fruits, he balanced two in one blade and one in the other, then winked at the child, her mother, and the small crowd that had begun to gather. "Let's try a new trick, shall we? Get Ladybug to do this, how about."

One toss. Catch. Rothan made a face, the girl laughed, and there was a smattering of chuckles from the crowd. Staffe was also chuckling, his irritation vanished. Showboat.

Yeah, and no one will expect a showboat to secretly be a moody loner of a teen. Another apple went up and down in an arc. Then two at once. Quickly Rothan was juggling like he had done it for years, the motion almost effortless as he let his superhero reflexes take over. People stared in awe, and there were even a few gasps as he caught some tosses behind his back and pretended to let others fall before deftly flipping them moments before disaster. He even noticed a video camera in the back and realized this would end up on the Ladyblog with a grin. After a few more minutes of playing with his food, Rothan dropped the fruit into one blade and hurled it upward, following them with a powerful leap. His silhouette cut against the sunlight as he struck the apples with a flurry of blows, garnering a gasp from his watchers, before he dropped back to the ground and stretched out a blade and deftly placed a paper towel from the utility belt onto it.

There was a brief pause, and then with a series a soft thumps the perfect apple slices fell onto the napkin. The girl looked up to her guardian with a pleading look. "Can I have some?"

Her mother nodded with a smile, and the child scampered up and took the napkin, beaming at Rothan. "Thank you. Do you want some too?"

"No thanks." He lifted his other blade and the third apple fell neatly onto it, catching on the tip as the onlookers clapped. "I have one for me too."

Taking the apples, she smiled shyly, then ran over and gave Rothan a quick hug, which made him blush and created another wave of clicking cameras. Then she walked back over to her mother and munched an apple with a huge smile. Rothan laughed and stood up. "Well, folks, I have a meeting with the resident heroes, but I enjoyed seeing you all under more pleasant circumstances. The name's Black Mantis. Have a good evening!" Leaping away, he heard the small audience he had managed to gather up follow him with another round of applause and a few cheers as well, and grinned as he retracted one claw to take a bite of his reward for the performance. "That worked even better than I hoped."

And you enjoyed yourself. A little casual socialization with civilians can do wonders for your image and your mood.

"I'll remember that." Rothan looked about and saw two figures waiting on top of a nearby building. "There's the Lady and the Cat. Shall we go meet them?" Without waiting for an answer, he bounded across the plaza, stopping by a man feeding the pigeons for a friendly greeting and a bag of crushed crackers he had forgotten was in his satchel before leaping onto the roof and skidding to a stop. "Hoy, you two. Pretty evening."

Chat smiled and waved, but Ladybug just glared. "What were you doing? We're supposed to be using your powers to help people."

"And I was. I helped that girl get a snack, those people enjoy their evening, and the public find out more about Mr. Mantis." Rothan gave her a crooked, bad-boy smile before he grew serious again. "Right, so let's get onto the same page. What do I need to know?"

Ladybug sighed, a smile forming in spite of herself. "Right. First off, what are your powers?"

"Super speed, endurance, and good looks." Ladybug rolled her eyes while Chat shot a pointed glare, and the Mantis raised a hand to pacify the feline. "Easy, kitty, I jest. I also have my utility belt for essentials, my hand scythes, and my Will of the Mantis, which gives me temporary telekinesis and resistance to psychic effects."

Chat looked the boy up and down. "That's a good assortment. We typically run patrol every day around four and every other evening."

"I've noticed. I'm doing the early morning shifts and the nights that you haven't been, just to keep all the bases covered. I may switch it up and just run with you two if things remain slow though."

"That would be fine with us," Ladybug assured him. "Maybe you two can keep each other entertained with your horrendous puns."

"You noticed." Rothan grinned. "I'm a sucker for wordplay."

"Yeah, well, aren't we all."

"Anyways, I know about Hawkmoth and his craziness – who doesn't at this point. What else is there?"

"I think the other big thing is your identity. Your Kwamii probably already told you this but keeping your identity secret is of the utmost importance." Rothan must have shifted uneasily, because suddenly the red-and-black girl locked him in a hard stare. "You haven't told anyone, have you?"

"Erm –" Rothan considered lying but decided against it. "My mother?"

"Your WHAT?" Ladybug's shriek made her partner jump and yowl, and Rothan bit back a snort as he tried to climb up a nearby flagpole. "You told your mother?"

"Yeah! She needed to know," the Mantis shot back. "How could I run off whenever the city needs saving and not tell my mother about it? She'd be worried sick!"

"And now she's in danger! What happens if she slips and tells someone? Or she gets Akumatized? Or a villain finds out about her? The first person they will target is her!"

Rothan realized that she was shaking and bit his lip. "And that's why she's got me on speed dial. I know the risks. We both do."

"Do you?" The superhero's voice was acid, something that Rothan never thought he would hear. "I'm not sure you really do."

"Look, I –"

"No. Mantis, you are going home right this instant, you are returning your Miraculous to whoever gave it to you, and if I ever see you on patrol again, I will deal with you myself."

The boy clad in dark green backed toward the roof edge, confused at how angry the hero had become. "I don't understand! Why are you so upset? What did I do –"

"GO!" Ladybug shouted, and Rothan recoiled like a slapped puppy. He turned and ran, leaping from rooftop to rooftop with angry and scared tears scalding his eyes. I don't get it. Why is she so upset? Was what I did really that bad?
What have I done?

Obviously, Rothan had not returned the Mantis Gloves, but after Staffe had talked him down from his emotional turmoil, he agreed that the last thing he needed was to be caught on patrol with Ladybug so upset and Chat likely on orders to stop him if he was seen. So for the past few days, he had stayed reluctantly in his civilian clothes and off of patrol, even if the sudden loss of freedom was driving him a bit stir crazy. "I don't understand what happened. I mentioned Mum and she literally went off her rocker. How do I fix this when if I try to talk to her, she's going to have me arrested or worse?"

"She's not going to send you to jail, Rothan. Maybe try to knock some sense into you, for certain, but not turn you into a criminal."

Rothan harrumphed again. "I just don't get it."

"You've got to understand, not all Kwamii are as open-minded about this kind of thing as the Swarm is. I'm sure Tikki has drilled it into her head that no one can know your secret identity, and that makes the girl a bit paranoid. And it is her job to protect all of Paris, including you and her mother. In her eyes, it must be a pretty big security risk."

"Not to mention other things." A high, nasal voice from the window made both Rothan and Staffe turn in surprise. There, much to the boy's surprise on the windowsill, sat a blue and gold Kwamii. He wore a headpiece-like object that ended in beetle pincers and seemed to be rather interested in a small piece of paper he had grabbed from the shelf under the window. "Is this iambic pentameter? It's quite good."

"Who are you?" Rothan gasped in surprise while Staffe beamed. The newcomer looked up from the paper. "Oh, I've not introduced myself. The name's Knutt, and I'm the Kwamii of Knowledge."

Marinette didn't feel much like talking that night as she and Chat patrolled the streets of Paris. It had been a quiet few days since Discharge had appeared, and she was thankful for the short reprieve in Akuma attacks after the back-to-back appearances had winded her and her partner. But their patrols just hadn't felt the same – Chat wasn't his usual, joking self, even though he tried to be, and she wasn't exactly feeling fantastic either. She couldn't get that face that their brief ally had made when she had told him he couldn't be a Miraculous wielder, like she was kicking him rather than telling him off. In the moment it had seemed like she was doing the right thing. But then why did she feel so bad about it now?

She paused in the middle of a rooftop and sighed. "Hey, Chat, do you mind if we take a quick break? Grab a drink or something?"

"Sure." Chat overshot her, stopped, then padded back. It never ceased to amaze her how quietly he could move when he wanted to. "There's a café nearby that is usually open at this hour. We can stop there if you like."

"Sure." The both jumped to street level and found the place, ordered two coffees ("My treat," Marinette had insisted as she payed, much to her partner's protests), and found a nearby bench to sit and relax at while they sipped the fresh, still-hot drinks. For a little while they just sat and enjoyed the cooling late-summer air. Then they both turned as if in sync and looked at each other.

"Is there something wrong –"

"You seem upset –" They both paused and chuckled, and then Chat motioned to his partner. "After you."

"I'm just worried about you. You don't seem yourself tonight, alley cat." Marinette tried to read his face, but it remained as elusive as ever. "Is there something the matter?"

Chat paused as he considered the best way to reply. "Would you – would you get that upset with me, if somehow my secret identity slipped?"

Ladybug paused and then put her head in her hands. "I really screwed up, didn't I?"

"I take that as a no. Hey, take it easy." Her partner put a hand on her shoulder. "You're still pretty new at this Guardian stuff."

"That doesn't make it any better! He's obviously very new, and I was worried he had no idea what he was doing. And then he told us he'd already revealed his identity and I kind of freaked out." Marinette's eyes were burning as looked up. "And that look, like he'd been slapped. I feel awful."

"Go apologize to him then. Explain that you overreacted, and have a conversation about it with him. See if you can work something out."

"First off, I don't even know where he lives, or if he even still has his Miraculous. And even if I did, if I went to him now I would know his identity, which would be even worse."

"This is true." Chat sipped his coffee and looked out into the night. "Have you tried calling him?"

"Not yet."

"I think you should. Rookie or not, we could still use his help. Besides, weren't we both rookies at some point too?"

"I realize that." Marinette turned pink. "I still can't believe his Kwamii allowed him to just tell his mother like that."

"He must have had a really good reason." Chat paused again, looking out and thinking. "Why did you get so upset, bugaboo? I've never seen you so worked up about anything like that before."

Shards of glass seemed to pierce her heart as she fiddled with her drink. "I'm not ready to talk about it. Not yet," she finally admitted. "It was… bad. Someday, when we're older, maybe."

"Alright, M'lady. I just don't like to see anything bugging you."

"Was that a pun?" Chat looked away innocently, and Ladybug made a face to hide the smile quirking at the edge of her lips. "You're impossible, kitty."

"And you feel better. Come on, let's finish patrol and then we can give Mantis a call together. I'm sure everything will be just fine."

"Knutt? What are you doing here?" Staffe was both pleased and surprised to see his comrade and flew over to give him a quick hug. "Lady Lapis must have sent you."

"She did. We hadn't seen you out and about for a day or two, so I thought I would check in. Is everything alright?"

"Not really. I've been forbidden from using my Miraculous." Rothan sighed and walked over to greet the visitor. "It's nice to meet you, Knutt. I'm Rothan, but you probably already knew that."

"It's still very nice to meet you in person." Knutt shook his outstretched hand with a small smile. "A falling out between you and Ladybug, I suppose?"

"Yeah, she got upset because, well…" Rothan paused, unsure how to proceed after his previous experience with the girl. "I may have kind of told my mother about all of this."

"Hmm." Knutt's mild reaction surprised him as the small blue Kwamii sat on the vanity. "On one hand, her reaction is not entirely unexpected. On the other, I can't say I take issue with your actions either, even if that is because I know the whole story."

Staffe raised an eyebrow. "That is unexpected, considering your history with Lady Lapis."

"I have my reasons for that, which I would be happy to share." Knutt paused and began to take deep breaths. "I smell pasta."

"Leftovers from dinner." Rothan couldn't help but smile. "There's plenty if you'd like a little."

"Yes please!" Knutt did a back flip and zipped to the door. "I'm starving."

Rothan took the two Kwamii into the kitchen and living space and grabbed the end of their spaghetti carbonara out of the fridge. Putting a Kwamii-sized portion onto a saucer his mother had purchased specifically for Staffe, he ran it through the microwave and retrieved other makeshift utensils before setting the lot down on the table. "Here you go."

Knutt dug in, thoroughly enjoying the meal, and was done faster than Rothan had ever seen anyone eat. "That was wonderful. Your mother is a great cook."

"I'll be sure to tell her you said so." Rothan chuckled as he took a sip of the sparkling water he had made for himself. "Now, you said something about sharing information?"

"So I did. With which lady would you prefer I start with?"

Rothan pondered this, but Staffe answered for him. "Lady Lapis, I think. You've never quite made clear to me why her identity needs to remain so secret. Heck, I don't think I've ever seen her out of costume."

Knutt nodded. "Very well. The main reason is not to protect her, but to protect myself, and my Miraculous. You see, I'm the very first Kwamii."

Rothan furrowed his brow. "That doesn't make sense. I assumed Tikki and Plagg were the first two, considering the concepts they embody."

"Technically, that's true." Knutt shrugged and hiccuped. "Oof, excuse me. They are the oldest of all the Kwamii, but technically I'm the very first of our kind to be called a Kwamii, if that makes sense."

"You mean like, you were the first Kwamii to interact with humans?"

"There we go. In fact, I was the Kwamii who worked with the wizard that created the first Miraculous – my Miraculous, the Scarab Brooch – and then the rest. The Insect Grimoire that Lady Lapis wields is his original spell book and research notes, passed down through the ages in my care."

"That's interesting." Staffe nodded. "Does that mean you have the knowledge to create Miraculous?"

"If the need were to arise, yes, I am capable of creating and modifying the Miraculous that our partners wear. And therein lies the danger of Lady Lapis' identity."

"If anyone were to find out who she was and what you were capable of, she would immediately become a target. Even Hawkmoth, as obsessed as he is with Ladybug and Chat Noir, would probably change his plans." Rothan nibbled on the back of a pen as he processed this information. "And combined with your premonitions, it would make him nearly unstoppable."

"Which is why we go to such lengths to hide her identity, especially in times like these." Knutt stood and paced for a moment. "Speaking of premonitions, let's turn to that other lady of yours. Staffe, you'll recall that a few months ago I was down with a massive migraine for a few hours."

"Kwamii get sick?" Rothan gave his partner a worried glance. "And here I've been overworking you!"

"You've not been overworking me, and we only get ill in extreme circumstances." Staffe rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. Yes, Knutt, I do recall you getting quite the headache."

"Well, we did finally figure out what happened. Since I have limited foresight, when the future becomes upset it can be rather unpleasant for me. It turns out your Ladybug friend accidentally screwed with the timeline and had to do some fancy footwork to undo the damage. After looking into it we were able to at least piece together it involved identities getting revealed, Chat getting akumatized, and the world ending. Not exactly a happy experience, I'm sure."

"So that's why she reacted the way she did," Rothan breathed. "If Tikki hadn't made her paranoid about an identity reveal, that certainly would have."

"Yep." Knutt sat back down and stretched. "It doesn't make it right, but at least you can have a bit more sympathy, yeah?"

"A little. I'm still irritated though."

"That's fair. Don't worry, Rothan, this will work itself out. I don't need one of my premonitions to know that Hawkmoth is getting bolder and stronger. They'll need your help soon enough, and Ladybug will be glad you came."

"Is it bad that I want you to be wrong and right at the same time?" Both Kwamii laughed, and Rothan gave them a bashful smile. Staffe patted his partner's hand. "There's that good heart shining through again."

"I knew I saw potential in you." Knutt rose from his seat and flew over to the boy. "Well, I've already stayed longer than I told my Lady I would. Thank you for the pasta, and I'm glad to see you two are doing alright. If you need something just call – I can't promise an answer, but you can leave a message and I'll get back to you."

"Right." Rothan rubbed the Kwamii's head to say goodbye and smiled. "Fly safe, Knutt. Hopefully we'll be seeing you around."

"I'm sure we will." Knutt took off and bowed, "Farewell, friends!" Then he flew for the balcony door, phased through, and was gone into the night. Rothan waved after and then turned back to his partner. "I feel a bit better. Do you think maybe we should give Ladybug a call?"

"She's on patrol right now, let's wait for her to get home. No reason to be a distraction." Staffe flew up and looked around. "Where is your mother, by chance?"

"Asleep. Busy day at the office I think."

"Ah. I think we should let her sleep then. You're not in a writing mood either, so what do you propose we do?"

"We could watch a movie. Didn't you say something about wanting to try that Dark Knight series?"

"I thought it might give me some ideas for training. This old Kwamii likes a new trick or two."

"Alright. I'll make some drinks if you'll set up the television. Just keep the volume low so we don't wake up Mum."

Patrol was almost over, and even with their coffee break Adrien was starting to get a little tired. He hadn't been sleeping well the past few days between his partner's outburst and his father, who had been even more reclusive and aloof than normal thanks to a lingering headache. His busy double life was really starting to get to him as well, with school, modeling, and superhero work keeping him busy. So even though he wanted to spend all evening with the most wonderful woman in Paris, he wasn't exactly disappointed when they reached the end of their route.

Ladybug definitely seemed better after their conversation, though he could still tell by her quiet moments and distant looks that she felt bad. But she was able to muster a genuine smile as she patted his cheek. "Well, it was nice to have a quiet evening for once. Sorry about venting on you."

"You act like it was paw-ful, M'lady." Adrien gave her a lopsided smile as he crouched down. "It's part of my job to make you feel better."

"Well, you do an excellent job then." Reaching down, he nearly melted as she found his favorite spot and began to scratch. "What would I do without you, Chat?"

"You'd be lonely on patrols and have no one to talk to." He had to pull away and force himself to stop purring before he continued. "Now, we'd better go. You have a phone call to make, and I need to get some sleep. Another busy day tomorrow."

"Right. I'll –" Ladybug stopped mid-sentence and stared out over the skyline, a sudden look of confusion on her face. "What's that?"

"What's what?" Adrien turned to look, and with his night vision could see a figure running away from them across the rooftops. "Is that an akumatized person?"

"If it was, why would they be running away?" Ladybug pulled out her yoyo and spun it a few times. "Something's off here. I say we follow them."

"I cat help but concur, M'lady. I'm right behind." The two of them began to pursue their target, but he was surprisingly fast, and they only just managed to keep up. "Where is he going?" Adrien panted as they ran.

"I'm not sure. He doesn't seem to realize we're following him, though." A few more swings, however, and she paused in surprise. "Luxembourg? Why is he running all the way out here?"

Indeed, their mystery character was leaping over into the Luxembourg Gardens with a furtive look behind them. Whoever it was, they hadn't noticed the duo following them – yet. Adrien looked into the silent, still gardens and bit his lower lip. "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he's not friendly. Make sure you're garden yourself."

"Chat, oh my gosh." His partner's eyes rolled so hard he could practically hear them. "Focus. And quiet." They both leapt to and beyond the garden's edge, the moon the only light illuminating the park. As they stalked the flower beds and statues silently, he herd his partner gasp softly. "This is beautiful at night."

"We'll have to remember to come back more often." Chat examined one of the statues and frowned. "These are surprisingly lifelike."

"You're right." Ladybug ran a finger down a stony arm and hummed in thought. "And new. Do you think they're people, and this guy is an Akuma?"

"I'm starting to feel that way. But why would he lure us here, rather than just take us out on the roof? It doesn't make – eep!" They both stopped short as they rounded a hedge and nearly ran into the first living person they had seen. He wore a skinsuit of dark orange and black, and was facing them with a nasty grin, one hand on a small gun at his belt. They both froze in surprise, but only for a second. "Who are you?" Ladybug demanded, spinning her yoyo, but that only served to make the college-age teen smile wider. "And what are you doing in this garden?"

"I don't think that really matters," the boy purred, "Seeing as you gullible, good for nothing heroes have fallen for my little trick." He bowed and gave a small salute. "Enjoy yourselves, my little Andromeda and Perseus. I think I'm going to enjoy this very, very much."

Then, to their amazement, the figure collapsed into a pile of orange sludge, quickly soaking into the ground and vanishing. Ladybug took a step back in alarm. "What the heck?" she shouted, her yoyo spinning even faster as her nerves grew. "Who or what was that thing?"

A tremor in the ground made them both stop. "Do you feel that, Chaton?" the girl breathed as the slow, steady footfalls shook the earth as they came closer, closer, and then stopped right behind them. "I think we may have company."

"Agreed, M'lady," Chat spun around, fully intending to throw his staff an make a quick joke. But looking upwards at the enormous woman behind him, he suddenly found himself unable to move. Those eyes – those golden eyes…

From somewhere he could hear Ladybug shouting at him, confused and afraid. He forced himself to speak, the words a slurred mess from his mouth. "M'lady – don't look – in her eyes."

"What?" he heard a cry, but everything was so cold, and he couldn't seem to breathe as he fell down, down, down into the darkness…

Rothan hummed as he wrote, only half paying attention to the movie and the studious Kwamii enraptured by it. American films cracked him up, and he had watched this particular film a number of times, so once his creative block had passed he found himself scribbling away at a new idea that had struck him. "Remember that this is the only one tonight," he told his partner. "It's a school night, and it's already starting to get late."

"I'm aware." Staffe turned around and saw Rothan blink back sleep. "Do you want to pause it and finish tomorrow? You look tired."

"I wouldn't say no to that." He stood, stretched, and grabbed the remote to turn of the film, half-smiling. "I enjoy spending time with you in a normal, two guys hanging out kind of way. You know?"

"I feel the same way. Many Miraculous holders don't get that luxury, whether due to responsibility or need to keep us hidden. I'll admit, I'm enjoying the ability to have a bit more freedom and do normal human things with you." Grabbing the small, modified thimble that served as his cup, he flew to the kitchen and rinsed it in the sink before returning to his partner. "But seeing as Ladybug's patrol should be over, you said something about wanting to call her to talk?"

"That's right. Let me change into my pajamas and get ready for bed, and then we can transform for a minute and call – is everything alright?" Rothan cocked his head as his partner made a face. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I just feel odd." Staffe managed before his body blurred violently. It took a moment for Rothan realized that his partner was vibrating, and his eyes widened in alarm. "Phone call?"

Staffe couldn't respond verbally, but his blurred form nodded and Rothan wasted no time. "Scythes Out!"

One short transformation later, Rothan looked at his gloves and felt a rumbling from his right hand. "Are you okay?"

Now I see why the other Kwamii never turn on vibrate. Even if my brain does stop rattling around, I will never try that again.

Rothan tried not to giggle as he extended a miniature blade to serve as his phone. "The contact says Ladybug – why is she calling me? I thought she was furious."

No telling. Why don't you pick up and we'll find out.

Rothan nodded and accepted the call. The screen was dark, the only light coming from Ladybug's yoyo screen on the other end, and he squinted. "I guess it's good I didn't send off Staffe. What's going on?"

"You picked up!" The relief in her voice was evident, and suddenly Rothan was concerned. "I was afraid that you'd already renounced your Miraculous."

"It never even crossed my mind. Where are you? And where's Chat?" He paused as he listened to the background noise in the phone. "Is that – are those footfalls?"

"No time!" she hissed, slouching even lower where she was hiding. "You should be able to track me, right? I'm in the Luxembourg Gardens. Get here quick, it's an emergency!"

"Ladybug, what's going on? Ladybug?" Rothan let out a string of words his mother would have washed his moth for if she had heard as the line went dead. "So much for an early bedtime. We've got to go."

I'll be your GPS. Just hurry – she sounded distraught.

Rothan nodded and threw open the balcony door, hurling himself out into the night. Thanks to his speed and desperation, he was able to make it to the gardens only a touch winded. After looking about in the dark for a moment, he saw a flash of red among the greens and jumped over in a single powerful lunge. With a silent landing, he retracted his scythes and clapped a hand over his partner's mouth. "Not a sound."

Ladybug jumped almost a meter, but relaxed and shoved his arm away once she realized who it was. "You startled me!"

"Sorry, I'm trying my hardest to be quiet. What's going on?"

"Oh, Mantis, I'm so sorry. I never should have shouted at you the way I did, and I feel awful. I –"

Rothan cut her off with a finger. "That's not exactly what I asked – apologize later. There's an Akuma, I assume, and we're trying to take it out? Where's Chat?"

Ladybug bit back a desperate sob and pointed. Rothan looked where she was directing, and his stomach leapt into his throat. There, as if frozen in time, was a statue of Chat Noir carved in the style of ancient Greek statuary. The was he was cowering backwards, however, told him all he needed to know. "I'm guessing that's not special commission. How did that happen?"

"I don't know. We were chasing someone, and he led us here and sort of – disappeared, was absorbed into the ground almost. Then Chat turned around and he tried to say something, and next thing I know he'd turned to marble."

"What did he say?" Rothan was forcing himself to keep his breath steady. This is bad, this is SO SO bad.

"I think it was something along the lines of 'Don't look at her eyes?' I don't know for sure. Heck, I'm not sure how we missed her – she's huge, easily one of the biggest Akuma we've faced."

"I really don't think we want to face her," Rothan muttered as a few things clicked. "And she was probably hiding behind a tree, which is why you didn't see her." Reaching down, he grabbed two pieces of cloth from his utility belt and looked them over. "Handkerchiefs. These will do."

"What?" Ladybug recoiled as he moved toward her face. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, captain, but we're going in blind for this one." One quick movement later her temporary blindfold was on her face, and Rothan tied one around his own as well. "What you can't see can't hurt you. Isn't that right, Medusa!" He whirled, blind to the world but ears working overtime. A low growl met his ears, and he smiled. "Very clever, mystery boy. But you are going to join my little collection, and then I'm going to take those Miraculous off your cold, stony bodies."

"I'm not sure that's a marbleous idea!" The ground vibrated as the giant villain growled again at Rothan's pun and began to move in their direction. He winced as he realized that antagonizing was probably not the best idea. "Grab on to me," Rothan told his partner, not waiting as he wrapped her arms around his chest. "Don't let go. And whatever you do, do NOT remove that blindfold – if your partner is any indication, it's her eyes that are her superpower."

"Right." Ladybug squeezed tight, and the Mantis took off, moving delicately but quickly through the maze of the garden, using his scythes to pick out a path in the darkness. "But how can we fight if we can't see?"

"Working on that." Rothan heard another throaty chuckle from behind as their foe slowly made ground and swore under his breath. "Hey, Staffe, if you're in there I could really use you throwing me a bone."

I have an idea. Not sure if it will work though, let me confer with Tikki for a moment. Rothan gasped as a presence left his mind and realized that somehow Staffe was maintaining the connection even though he had gone – somewhere, the exact location he wasn't sure. It was only a moment before he returned and spoke to his partner again. She's willing to give it a shot.

"What do I do?"

Kwamii can sometimes fuse together in a process called Unification, so the bearers can wield both of their powers at once. This is – similar, but a technique Edgge and I have developed. Essentially, you'll be sharing each other's powers for a brief time. With two Kwamii working together, you'll get about ten minutes before it fades and Tikki and I will be drained.

Rothan relayed this, and Ladybug was quiet while she considered. "As long as we don't have to drop our transformations," she conceded after a moment. "What do I need to do?"

"Just hold still." Rothan leapt and grabbed her hands as they soared through the air. "Unify!"

There was a jerking feeling in his hands, as though Staffe was being pulled out, and by the nasty knock Ladybug gave to the back of his head he reckoned she had felt the same. Then he felt something fuzzy in the back of his mind – whereas before he had lost a presence, this felt like he had gained one. He couldn't talk to it, but instinctively he knew this must be Tikki, and he sent her a mental wave before focusing on the task at hand. "Now what?"

Crossing the wires, give me a second… Rothan blinked as something fuzzy crossed his vision. Then there was another pulse, and then, suddenly, there was an image – a black-and-white picture of the world around him, colorless but clear as day. "Whoa."

Yes! Lucky vision online. Combined with my psionic ability, and we've got a makeshift sonar for the two of you. Rothan grinned as he let Ladybug off his back, seeing her curiously look about with the blindfold on. "Way to go, Staffe! You rock."

Ten minutes, buddy. And I love the outfit. Rothan raised an eyebrow and got a giggle in response. We'll talk about it later. Go!

Rothan nodded and glanced at Ladybug, who was still getting her bearings. "How can I see?"

"Staffe is good at what he does. Look out!" They both dove out of the way as a giant fist came crashing down on the point they were at just moments before. There was an angry hiss, and Rothan looked up into the face of a very angry snake-woman. "Very clever, using blindfolds to avoid my gaze. But that will only save you for so long." Rothan rolled away from another attack and used his speed to leap off the ground. He ended up overshooting and landing in a tree, but at least it got him out of the battle. "Any chance you see that possessed object?"

"She's got a necklace on!" Ladybug pointed and Rothan noticed the handmade piece of jewelry for the first time, shards of pottery and clay beads lining the leather cord and ballooned to match its wearers gained stature. "I think that's where the Akuma is hiding."

"It's huge!" Rothan dodged as a hand swatted the canopy he was in, and he heard a shriek as his ally narrowly avoided a kicking foot. "How are we going to break that?"

"I have no idea." Ladybug managed to leap into the tree with him, and they both ducked another swinging fist. "But we need to act fast. You said we only had ten minutes."

"Right." Rothan glanced around, pondering his options. "I'm not really the brains of this operation. This is your forte, not mine."

Ladybug glanced around frantically, and Rothan realized she had kicked her Lucky Vision into full gear. "I have an idea. If I unbalance her over, can you be ready?"

"I think so. Just give me the signal." Ladybug hopped down from the tree and waved, gathering the woman's attention. She snarled and began to attempt to crush the girl, but Ladybug was quick enough to just barely dodge each time. As she went, Rothan realized she was throwing her yoyo back and forth, hooking it on whatever she could find. She's making a tripwire, and I'm the trap!

Sneaking down from the tree while Medusa was distracted, he watched as she made a few more passes, then faked a stumble and fell back. Scrambling in reverse, she saw the Mantis and gave a subtle nod, and he readied himself to pounce. The transformed lady cackled. "Now you're mine, Ladybug. This has been a smash!" With two steps forward, the woman lunged – and tottered, unbalanced by the cord that Marinette had looped around the statues and bushes. "What? No!"

Rothan took the opportunity to make his move and rushed the woman's grounded leg. With a grunt he slammed into it like a rugby player, and grinned as he felt his force cause a shift in the giant's weight. With a screech she began to fall, and Ladybug rolled out of the way just in time to avoid a large forehead plastering her to the ground. In a flash she was on one knee, hands cupped together and waiting. "Over here!"

Rothan darted over and put a foot into her hand, then felt the exhilaration of flying through the air. With a well-placed flip, he landed on the giantess' neck and smiled. "Athena-nough here, honey," he quipped, his scythes shooting out. "Next time, do't take us for granite!"

With a swipe, he cut the cord and the necklace fell to the ground, releasing the purple-black butterfly that had been hiding inside. One yoyo throw later, and the Akuma had been de-evilized and a dozen late-night park guards were dazedly standing to their feet, a young college student among them. "What happened?"

"You got hit," Rothan explained as he helped her up and handed her the reformed necklace. "Rough day?"

"My teacher is a jerk."

"Give them a chance." Rothan squeezed the girl's hand and gave Ladybug a knowing look. "We've got something to learn from everyone."

Once she seemed to have composed herself, Black Mantis joined his companion. "Alright. Staffe, Tikki, Divide!" Once he was satisfied that he was no longer sharing two Kwamii with the superhero beside him, he glanced around. "Where's that alley cat?"

"I don't know – he's got to be here somewhere though." Ladybug glanced around, her worry evident, and then her eyes lit up. "Chaton!"

Chat Noir practically leaped into her arms. "Guess my last words were just purrfect. I was petrified you hadn't heard me."

"Don't ever do that again." Ladybug gave him a fierce hug, then looked at him. "Really? Statue puns?"

"At least I mixed it up," Rothan offered. "There was a Greek pun in there."

"You two are both impossible."

"Can't be, Ladybug, No paws." He laughed as she rolled her eyes and Chat gave him a thumbs up. "I'm sorry I upset you. I didn't think that my Mum knowing would be that bad." He scratched his head, trying to think of the best way to word things so as to not give too much away. "We have a… delicate family situation, and I didn't really feel like I had much of a choice."

"I owe you an apology too. I shouldn't have assumed you weren't taking this seriously when you told us about your mother knowing. You proved yourself to be pretty responsible, and I can only assume you had a good reason to do what you did. That does not, however," Ladybug continued as she raised a hand, "mean you need to go around telling everyone. The fewer people that know about your civilian identity, including us, the better."

"I get it." Rothan paused and rubbed his foot in the grass. "Does this mean I can go on patrol tomorrow?"

"Only if I can come with you," Chat shot back before his partner could respond. "Someone needs to sow you the routes."

"You've got to be kitten me," the Mantis shot back with fake irritation. "Fine, as long as you can handle a little pun-ishment."

"I'll only com-pun-d the problem."

"Oh my gosh," Ladybug groaned as both boys grinned at each other "You two are going to be absolutely incorrigible."

"You love it though." Chat punched her arm playfully and smiled. "Admit it. Your life would be a lot less pun without our jokes around."

"As long as you share them," Rothan shot back, then sighed as his Miraculous chirped. "Staffe says I got to scat. Meet me at 0430, I'll send you the directions in the morning."

"That early?" Ladybug looked at Rothan in surprise. "When do you sleep?"

"Considering how I've stolen your partner for my next patrol, you ought to know." They both gave him a look of confusion, so he sighed and shrugged, mischief gleaming in his eyes. "I'm a cat-napper."

Chat roared with laughter while Ladybug put her head in her hands and groaned. Rothan just chuckled. "Have a good evening, you two. I'll be seeing you soon." And with that he extended his scythes and leapt away, feeling the first waves of exhaustion hit his body and smiling at the though of a warm bed.

"You failed me," Hawkmoth hissed at the black-and-orange colored teen in his tower, his rage barely suppressed. "I stayed awake and drained my power for that disaster?"

"We were close, Mr. Hawkmoth," the snide college teen replied, surprisingly calm despite the angry man before him. "Don't forget it was your Akuma that couldn't finish the job. If only that blasted Swarm member hadn't shown up, we would have gotten both Miraculous in our hands."

"He was a nuisance a few days ago as well, when I sent Discharge after the two. But my Akuma skills are getting stronger, and they won't get away so readily nest time."

"Still, Mr. Hawkmoth, it might be wise to call in some reinforcements." The boy soothed the man's bruised ego as he balanced a wine glass in his hand. "The Spitting Bug powers you have so graciously hired might not be enough to take them down. But I have a few friends in town who would gladly see the Zodiac Miraculous box retrieved."

Hawkmoth considered this and smiled. "I'm listening. Tell me, Splattershot, who did you have in mind?"

"I looked like what?" Rothan protested as he walked, his cheeks turning a light pink. Staffe laughed from the edge of his bag. "You always said you admired Ladybug."

"Yeah, I admire her. I don't want to look like her." He blushed at the thought of his suit becoming red-and-green tinted – the colors that Staffe had informed him he had changed when unifying their two Kwamii – and sighed. "I must have looked like a tacky Christmas tree. At least it was too dark for anyone to notice."

"Take solstice in that, partner. There's no guarantee you won't have to do that again."

Rothan groaned. "How does that work, exactly? I've seen Ladybug on the news using two Miraculous at once before, but never like that."

"Unifying Miraculous is simply the bonding of two Kwamii temporarily in a single person. Edgge and I figured it was a simple step from that to doing it over multiple people. It's actually safer, if a bit diluted, because the strain of holding two aspects in your body is divided among multiple people."

"Interesting." Rothan hummed to himself as he considered the implications of this. "This could be useful in the coming fights ahead."

"I'd think so. Now, you go enjoy your date. I have a book to read."

"It's not a date," Rothan hissed, but his Kwammi had already buried himself in the recesses of his satchel to peruse the literature of the world. The boy sighed. It was, in fact, Saturday, and their half-day of school had ended with plans to meet at Lyra's place to enjoy some coffee and friendship. When he arrived he saw Lyra was already bringing out drinks to the rest of the group – Nino, Marinette, Alya, and the Adrien fellow that Alya had not-so-subtly asked Rothan to let come were chatting away and enjoying the pleasant weather. He slid into a seat and Lyra sat down next to him with a drink for them both. "Hey, all. Sorry I'm a bit late."

"No worries." Alya gave him a small smile. "Thanks for inviting us."

"I'm just glad you could all come. Drinks are on me, folks, so enjoy."

As the six teens laughed and sipped their various coffees, Rothan looked around and smiled. These are the people I get to protect. And my mother, and all of Paris. And Ladybug and Chat Noir have got my back too, as friends and allies. He took a drink of his custom-made tea latte, felt Staffe shift comfortably in his bag, and felt the last fragments of his regular moodiness draining away.

This day couldn't be more perfect, he realized. And he couldn't be happier.

Good thing they got that all sorted out, seeing as Ladybug and Chat were only a stone's throw from disaster!

...

I'll show myself out.

As a note, I have taken some liberties with the Unification process after doing some research into it. The big one is being able to split two Kwamii over two people, but as Staffe mentioned, they combined two powers as well. I guess I don't really see a reason that if these abilities were available, they wouldn't be able to work in tandem and create new effects like sonar-type ability Marinette and Rothan utilized.

For anyone worried about budding romance, no worries; Both I and Rothan are hard Adrinette/LadyNoir shippers. He's not going to split the two up, though he does have some devious schemes in his back pocket to get them closer together.

Anyways, we'll have to leave Hawkmoth and his mysterious new allies for later, seeing as I did promise some fluff in the next few episodes. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, you can reach me on my Tumblr at james-brafin or my Twitter handle, which is jamesthedabbler. Until next time!