A/N: I had to split the last chapter because it got too long. *Groans* Anyway, I had this part written already so all I had to do was some copy and paste and tada! Instant double update!
This story has finally come to a close. Thank you everyone who has read this story and supported it, I really couldn't have kept going without your support! Really, you all deserve to have around of applause.
Besides from that I'm gonna work on finishing my other stories and stuff before publishing another miraculous story. I also need to start working on this epilogue.
So till next time,
D.L.D
The eight heroes stood in single file, glaring at Luna Moth 2.0 and Peafowl. Both akumas glared back, each gripping their weapons.
"I say half of us take on Luna Moth and the other half Peafowl," Pegasus spoke after accessing the opposition.
"I agree," Bunnix nodded, "They're too dangerous to just chance."
Suddenly a blade was thrown towards the heroine. The pinkette ducked just in time, strands of her pink hair being cut off in the process.
"Hey!" She growled as the blade returned to its owner.
"I'm so sorry she missed," Luna moth 2.0 chuckled, "I'll make sure she hits on target this time. Peafowl."
Nodding, the akumatized heroine threw several blades at the heroes causing them all to dodge in multiple directions.
"Bunnix, Pegasus, Chat Noir and Carapace, work on Luna Moth," Ladybug instructed as she landed, "The rest of us will deal with Peafowl."
With no further words the group split, one side taking on Luna Moth 2.0 and the other half Peafowl.
Ladybug sighed as she headed towards the akumatized heroine. Hopefully she wasn't making a mistake by splitting the team up.
"Stop fighting against them!" Celeste yelled at the akuma as she watched the battle from her mind.
Ladybug had used her Lucky Charm and everyone else was scattered around Peafowl. The akuma held its fan of blades and Celeste could hear its dark thoughts.
"There's no point!" The akuma roared, "Either way we're a villain! Don't you get it!"
"Of course I do!" Celeste yelled back as the akuma blocked Rena Rouge's flute, "You're part of me and vice versa!"
"Then you know why I'm doing this!" The akuma hissed harshly as it pushed Rena Rouge away with brutish force.
The fox themed heroine was pushed over the edge of the Arc. Her voice was heard saying she was ok, before being followed by the sound of weapons clashing.
Celeste winced at the sound. She hated the sound of violence, it reminded her of how split she was inside. Always arguing with one side of herself...
"You're thinking about it now aren't you?" The akuma asked its voice soft.
"Of course I am," Celeste sighed, "It's why we're in this damn mess."
"You don't say," Peafowl chuckled as she dodged King Monkey's banana, causing it to hit Queen Bee.
"Now how am I meant to freeze her?!" The blonde screeched as she threw her spinning top at the akuma, wrapping it around her.
"Why you little!" Peafowl used the blades on her fan to cut the wire.
She then leaped onto the blonde and easily knocked her onto the ground below.
"Look if you'd just listen we could come to a compromise," Celeste spoke as the battle continued.
"Listen to you?!" The akuma's voice boomed, "To you?! The pathetic, sensitive and weak teenager! I'd rather be forced into submission."
"And what makes me those things!" Celeste's eyes pooled with tears, "Was it me or you?"
Silence filled the teen's mind as both entities sank deep into their thoughts. Who was truly to blame about how they'd turned out. It wasn't each other and it certainly wasn't themselves.
"It's her," Both girls spoke at the same time before they both were fueled with rage.
It was her. It was always her. She was the one who shaped and molded them into the creature they were now. But she was in for a surprise now.
Both entities grinning wickedly, the two girls merged into one. Tonight Luna Moth would get what she deserved.
Nine people stood opposite Luna Moth 2.0, each gripping weapons as they glare at her. Each person had a personal grudge against her.
While hostile glares met her, Luna Moth 2.0 chuckled softly at the sight. It had been a while since she'd had an actual battle and the akuma was itching to try a new technique. Instead of using the powers given to her, Luna Moth 2.0 settled on her one form and drew the sword from within her cane. This was going to be fun.
"She's got a sword," Queen Bee bit her lip, "Are you sure this is a smart idea Ladybug?"
"It's the only we've got," The heroine replied, "Plus if two of us attack at once then she has two targets to focus on. All we have to do is make sure everyone's in sync."
"So we work with who we know best," Bunnix raised a brow.
"Practically," Ladybug nodded, "Everyone already knows their pairs right?"
"Yep," All the heroes nodded.
"I'll go alone," Peafowl smirked, "I have a special surprise."
The other heroes took a step back as they felt the spite in her tone. Whatever Luna Moth had done to Peafowl was serious. The teen was seriously starting to sound a lot like a killer.
"Ok then," Ladybug sighed, "Let's just get into position."
The heroes nodded and soon they were carrying out their plan.
They'd fight against Luna Moth 2.0 normally, tiring her out, and once the moment was perfect they'd all strike going in pairs as they attacked her. Exhausted the akuma struggled to fight back. Soon Luna Moth 2.0 was such a mess that she struggled to hold her sword up.
"You think it's safe to take the akumatized object yet?" Chat asked.
"I'm not too sure," Ladybug watched as the akuma regained her stamina, a smirk making its way onto her lips.
"You really thought that plan would work!" Luna Moth 2.0 cackled, "This is precious! I was only tiring you out! See?"
The akuma then switched forms to Vixen. With the switch she also lowered in age, making her younger and much more energetic.
"Good luck beating me now!" The akuma began to play a song on her flute.
"Oh no you don't!" Peafowl punctured a hole in the akuma's flute, "We're not done here."
"What do you mean-" Vixen began.
The heroes all froze as Peafowl tackled Luna Moth to the ground. Fists being thrown as they both rolled over as they fought.
"Get off me!" Vixen changed into her Luna Moth form.
"Not until you listen to me!" Peafowl seethed as she slapped the akuma.
"Well you won't get me to," Luna Moth 2.0 chuckled, "You'll be lucky if I even look at you."
"Stop playing mind games!" Peafowl screeched as she pulled her hair.
"I'm not playing mind games," The akuma laughed as she pushed the teen off her, "I'm telling you the truth."
"As if you ever would," Peafowl scoffed as she got up. The teen took out her fan, the blades glimmering in the moonlight, "All you ever do is dodge and hide."
"It's the only thing I can do," The akuma replied drawing her own weapon, "Otherwise I'm weak."
"But you aren't if you'd just-"
"No!" Luna Moth 2.0 charged at the teen her sword barely missing, "Stop trying to convert me!
The akuma swung its weapon in a blind fury until it felt it connect with something else. Luna Moth 2.0 blinked to see Peafowl looking at her, violet eyes blazing with frustration.
"Just listen to me!" She was blocking Luna Moth 2.0's attack while the other heroes watched, ready to jump in if needed.
"What could you possibly tell me that I don't already know!" Luna Moth 2.0 snapped.
"That you feel trapped," The teen spoke as she kept her gaze on the akuma, "That you feel like letting down your guard always results in betrayal. That- that no matter what you do you always end up suffering."
The akuma's hold loosened a little before tightening again. Anger flashed in her eyes as she glared at the teen, teeth bared.
"You know nothing about me!" Luna Moth spat.
"If anything I know everything about you!" Peafowl protested, frustration taking over her actions, "I've been patient with you. I've tried! But nothing I do is ever good enough! Do you know what that feels like?!"
Stunned by the usually calm teen's anger, the akuma untensed, only to meet a punch to the face.
...
"What's happening!" Lila's subconscious slipped into panic mode as Peafowl punched her square in the face.
"The weapon's fighting back!" Volpina panicked as Vixen slapped her across the face.
"No shit!" The older akuma sighed, "It'll all sort itself out. Just wait."
Suddenly the mindscape was taken over by a wobbling sensation as the sirens grew louder. Lila looked at the screen to see herself fighting the heroes.
Each of them leaped at her in pairs throwing attacks that she either dodged, blocked or ended up getting hit by. It was going way too fast and the young woman didn't know what was going on. Everything was going so fast.
Lila eyes swam as the area began to spin. She felt as if she were on a carousel gone wrong and she wanted out. The spinning got worse and worse as the wobbling continued. Tears formed in the brunette's eyes as Volpina and Vixen continued to go back and forth. Shouting, slaps, screams, yells of pain. Everything was going wrong. Downhill.
Lila's eyes widened as everything stopped. Volpina and Vixen's screams stopped, causing a ringing sensation in her ears. The sirens still flashed but she couldn't hear them any more. It was as if she was disconnected from it all.
Green eyes traveling over to the screen Lila watched as Luna Moth struggled to fight against the heroes. The akuma sported a black eye, busted lip and bloody forehead. Anger and frustration coursed through its veins as it thought about why it couldn't just win. After everything that had happened to her in the past it was what she deserved. To win for once.
"Why can't I beat you!" The akuma's voice came out cracked and shakey. Tears spilled from her jade eyes as she looked at the heroes.
She was broken. Horribly.
Vision blurry from her tears, the akuma continued to fight as Lila watched on from the subconscious. Sitting on the ground and curling into a ball, Lila felt the darkness encasing her. Tears spilled from her eyes as her final thoughts drifted to the smile on Celeste's face when she'd promised that they'd finally spend time together. Something that would never happen...
Knowing it was pointless to fight back, Lila sat there, the darkness swarming around her as she became the person she always tried not to be. Herself.
"What happened?" Luna Moth groaned as she got up from the ground, "How did I-"
She looked at all the heroes before her and smiled as she thought about the past they'd shared. They'd surely greet her with open arms. Maybe even forgive her for her actions!
Then everything would be fine and she could be a better mother to Celeste and start over. Forget about everything she's done. Get back her friends. Stop being so alone. It would be like a new beginning...
"Guys I-" Her voice was hopeful and cheery.
"Save it," Ladybug spoke in a blunt tone.
"But I-" Luna Moth stopped herself as she looked at them all with a hurt expression, "I understand." A sigh escaped the brunette's lips as she looked at them all. She knew that what she'd done was unforgivable. She'd violated their trust by kidnapping their children and trying to kill them multiple times. The villain should have really seen this coming.
As a young officer approached, Luna Moth gracefully let him cuff her. She was done fighting. Now she'd just prove that she deserved to be a good person again. Day by day, hour by hour. Even if it meant going to prison. As she was led away, the female got an idea to show that she was truly sorry.
"For the record, I always wanted to be friends," She spoke as she smiled at them all, "I didn't mean to fuck up as badly as I did. But...I had a lot of inner demons to deal with."
With that the brunette disappeared with the police. Ladybug knew that she'd retrieve that miraculous later. Right now she had to deal with the final issue left: Peafowl.
Peafowl turned to look at the heroes tears forming in her eyes. She'd caused so much pain and destruction to their lives that she didn't know if she could be forgiven. She didn't even know how to apologise. Everything the teen had done for the past few months was wrong and now she didn't know what that made her.
The things she'd done were more or less the equivalent to what Luna Moth had done and the heroes had just shunned her. It made the teen wonder what she really was a hero or a villain. She couldn't be a hero. She was too flawed to be one. But she was too good to be a villain. Then what was she?
The teen sighed as another tear escaped her amethyst eyes. She didn't mean for any of this to happen, but now she was the cause of it anyway. All because she was afraid. Afraid of what would happen next, afraid of being replaced, afraid of standing up to her mother, afraid of being alone. She never asked to be the monster she was now.
Spiraling into her dark thoughts, the teen didn't notice a certain heroine place a hand on her shoulder. Peafowl jumped as she felt the contact of another person before her eyes widened as she looked at Ladybug.
Words could not express the guilt she felt at that exact moment. Looking directly into the heroine's eyes Peafowl knew that she had fucked up. She knew that she was beyond redemption, correction even. So she was surprised when Ladybug smiled at her.
"You're always welcome to join the heroes," The teen heard the heroine's voice clear as day.
"I am?" Her voice wavered slightly as the teen tried not to burst into tears.
"Of course you are!" Rena Rouge grinned, "You proved to us all you're a hero!"
"But how could I be a hero after all I've done?" Peafowl's eyes glowed with frustration, "After everything I've done to all of you!"
"Because of what you chose to do after," Ladybug smiled at her, "Not all of us here are angels, trust me. But we all have a thing in common."
"We all want justice," Peafowl looked up at the heroine, a smile on her face.
Ladybug nodded.
That was all the closure the teen needed. To know that she wasn't the monster her mother created. To know that she was her own person, with her own choices. That was what she needed to hear.
Taking one final look at the night sky, Peafowl closed her eyes. This would be the last time she saw the stars before escaping with the violet butterfly.
...
Celeste opened her eyes wincing as the brightness of the lights hurt them. Where was she? The last thing she remembered seeing was- the stars...
Looking around the room, the teen noticed that she was not at home. The walls were not covered in her posters and doodles, her bed was not her own and the piles of things were missing. Everything was different.
"What happened?" The teen breathed as she tried to get up.
"Celeste- Wait!" Marinette came rushing into the room, sighing as the teen sat back down.
"What happened?" The teen demanded an explanation. Why was she in this room? Where was her mom? What even got her in this mess?
"We defeated Luna Moth," Marinette answered before sighing, "Celeste, your mother's in prison."
"What?!" The teen's green eyes widened, "What do you mean she-"
"I know it's a lot to take in," Marinette rubbed her temples, "I really wished things played out differently. However I had to tell you."
"Why?" The teen was firm.
"I can't tell you that," Marinette sighed, as the teen got up, "What are you doing?"
"Running away," Celeste answered simply, "I won't be back for a while."
The teen the searched through a few draws finding her clothes and possessions. Deciding to travel light, Celeste only took what she needed and the card that led to the savings in purse. Her grandma had made her a bank account so that she could put money and there and the teen knew that she had quite a lot in there. Hopefully it'd be enough for her travels.
"Where would you go Celeste?" Marinette raised a brow as she watched the teen.
"Away from Paris," The teen responded, "It reminds me of way too much. I need a fresh start. Somewhere else alone."
"Are you sure?" The bluenette bit her lip, "You'd be leaving behind a lot."
"I don't mind leaving it behind," Celeste sighed as she zipped up her backpack, "I'll be back before anyone notices I'm gone."
"You're set on leaving then," The young woman sighed before handing the teen a plane ticket, "I figured you might want to leave."
"How- when," Celeste was speechless. She'd never expected to be given a plane ticket just like that.
"I made a deal with Audrey Bourgeois," Marinette smiled softly, "Since I knew Paris would have some bad memories for you, I asked her if she'd want to train you to help in her company. In return I help her with the collab."
"Marinette I-" The teen suddenly tackled the young woman into a hug, "Thank you so much! You don't know what this means to me."
For the first time in her life, the sun shines for Celeste. Something actually works for her. She feels so elated that tears spring to her eyes.
"No problem," Marinette smiled as she hugged the teen back, "Now enjoy yourself in America. I'll see you in a few years."
"Definitely," The teen agreed as the young woman left the room.