Chapter 10: Volpina
Miss Bustier's class is gathering before school officially begins. There's a buzz in the air because Lila Rossi has finally come back from her "overseas vacation." She's telling people of her travels (all lies), and they're eating it up as they haven't yet spent enough time with her to know better.
Lila's also telling the story of her fox heroine ancestor. Lila's basically implying that the fox miraculous is hers and the Rena Rouge stole it when Lila('s family) oh so kindly lent it to her (or her ancestor). Alya Cesaire isn't buying it, but of course she can't prove it either without revealing she is Rena Rouge. (In this version, contrary to canon, the rivalry with Lila is mostly with Alya instead of Marinette).
Marinette Dupin-Cheng is also getting irritated on both the behalf of Alya and Rena Rouge as well as her own experiences with Lila being a liar. She tries to call her, out but since she can't prove anything without giving away she's Ladybug, she's stuck.
Lila tries to worm her way next to Adrien Agreste. However, by now she's pissed off both Marinette and Alya, and she's pissing off Chloe Bourgeois by flirting with Adrien, so no one will change seats with her (Chloe won't let Sabrina change.) Lila tries to push it on Nino Lahiffe, but Nino says that even with glasses, he needs to be close enough to see the board. Lila lies and says she has an ear problem, at which point Adrien says he'll move to the back so Lila can sit by Nino. This irritates Lila as her whole goal is to sit next to Adrien.
That's when Miss Bustier calls the class to order. She tells Lila to bring a doctor's note if she needs special accommodation, but for now, she needs to return to her seat next to Nathaniel. Lila is pissed and simmering on revenge. Her thoughts focus on Marinette and Alya and Chloe, all of whom have pissed her off that morning.
Lila decides the first thing she needs to do is turn the class against those three. She starts with Nathaniel Kurtzberg, complimenting him on his comic (she really hates it—and yes, he's again drawing in class). She tells him that she knows "the best manga producer in Japan" and promises to put a good word in for him. Nathaniel genuinely believes it (for now) and thanks her.
Lila tries similar tricks throughout the day. She says she can get Juleka Couffaine and Rose Lavillant a chance to meet Jagged Stone, and she tells Rose stories about Prince Ali's personal life (again, all lies). She lies to Aurore Beaureal, saying Marinette barely passed the most recent test and that Aurore is better off finding a new tutor. She promises to test Max Kante's game that he's creating from scratch when it's done. Lila tries to get Sabrina to go shopping with her instead of Chloe. However, Sabrina Raincomprix is fully loyal to Chloe, so Lila's ploy doesn't really work there.
Hawk Moth is watching it all, amused. Lila's own warped personality is enough of a negative emotion that he can sense it and uses it. So he sends an akuma in her direction, and he predicts she'll be a willing ally.
His predictions are right. When Lila sees the akuma, she grabs it and willingly lets herself be akumatized. Hawk Moth gives his usual spiel about wanting Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculous in return. However, since Lila wants to be akumatized, she avoids the brainwashing and retains her memories (as Marc and Nathaniel correctly theorized). Lila offers her own counter proposal. She helps Hawk Moth and gives him those two miraculous. In return, she wants Rena Rouge's fox miraculous. Hawk Moth finds those terms acceptable.
Volpina returns—stronger than before. Since she still is in full possession of her faculties, she decides to continue to make life miserable for her love rivals. First she casts an illusion so she looks like Sabrina. Then she heads to Chloe and chews her out for being a selfish witch, saying that she'll never be her friend again. Chloe shouts back that she never wanted someone like Sabrina to be her friend in the first place. Which Volpina is not only sending live to the real Sabrina's phone, but she then changes tactics on Chloe and says that Chloe is weak, which is why she could never transform back into Queen Bee. That she's a failure as a heroine, and it's no wonder Ladybug didn't want her around. Ladybug probably pities how pathetic Chloe/Queen Bee truly is. What good is a so-called superheroine with no superpowers. This does get to Chloe who is at a loss for words and trying to hold back tears.
Volpina as Sabrina flounces off and lets the illusion wear off. That's when Sabrina comes around the corner, cell phone in hand, with an absolutely devastated expression on her face. She asks Chloe if what she heard was true. Chloe is baffled at how Sabrina went one way and then appeared in another direction. (But status quo and all, Chloe has enough charisma and Sabrina is desperate and loyal enough that they do smooth things over.)
Volpina's next target is Marinette Dupin-Cheng, so she goes back to school and casts an illusion that she is Marinette. She boldly walks into Miss Bustier's classroom, to her desk, and starts going through it, stealing the test answers. Miss Bustier walks in and is shocked to see what appears to be Marinette cheating. Volpina makes a break for it, still looking like Marinette. Miss Bustier follows her into the hallway.
Unfortunately, Volpina's luck runs out. As she runs by, Alya Cesaire catches her by the arm, thinking she's going to talk to her best friend. This breaks the illusion, revealing Marinette to be Volpina all along. Miss Bustier happens to see this and is as shocked as Alya. In her surprise, Alya lets Volpina go, who is able to flee the scene. Alya activates the Akuma Alert app.
Marinette gets the notification from the app on her phone. She grinds her teeth, "Volpina's returned" and transforms. Adrien gets the same notification. He just shakes his head, "Oh, Lila…" and then transforms as well.
They track Volpina down to the stadium, and it appears as if she's waiting. That's because she was waiting and proves to have a very devious plan. She lets Cat Noir and Ladybug think that she has the same powers and limits as before. Illusions that break on contact, with limited size. However, that is a deception as she's powerful enough to cast illusions to make it appear as if the entire setting has changed. Big illusions, tons of detail, and in rapid fire. Like making hundreds of Ladybugs to confuse Cat Noir and creating a scene illusion that makes Ladybug disoriented as if she's in a Disney acid sequence.
Ladybug's Lucky Charm is a hint to go to Master Fu. She tells Cat Noir she'll be right back and hightails it. This is what Volpina wants, as she's hoping Rena Rouge will show up so she can take the fox miraculous.
And indeed, Ladybug picks the fox necklace miraculous, finds Alya, and recruits Rena Rouge to deal with Volpina.
They return to see Cat Noir getting thrown around. One final power-up Volpina received is that her flute is now an actual weapon (a whip? A staff?). She had been hiding the fact she had the ability to attack directly with more illusions, took advantage of the fact Cat Noir was left alone, and started whaling on him.
Ladybug catches Cat Noir with her yo-yo and yanks him out of the way. He's grateful though his ribs hurt from the attempt. Volpina is thrilled to see Rena Rouge with them. She boldly declares this will be a battle of illusions and that she'll be the one to take the fox miraculous because it belongs to her family. She also taunts Rena Rouge "this is a battle of illusions. But poor you. You only can cast one illusion. I can cast as many as I want! I can recreate the appearance of reality itself!"
Rena Rouge boasts back. "It'll only take one illusion to beat you."
Volpina claims Rena Rouge is lying, and the fight begins anew. Volpina begins by casting illusions, making the entire stadium appear different and masking who is friend and foe. However, Ladybug is equally quick. She throws her Lucky Charm at Volpina. Volpina reflexively breaks it with her weapon, thinking the incoming item is some type of attack. However, it turns out the item was something with a strong fragrance (perfume? Incense?). Volpina gets covered in it.
That's when Rena Rouge casts her own illusion. Darkness. She turns the entire area pitch black. When no one can see, no one can see any of Volpina's illusions. Volpina growls but points out that that means they can't see each other either.
She then goes silent, leaving the other three to wonder where she's at. Volpina lunges at Rena Rouge aiming to steal her miraculous. Rena clobbers her with her flute despite the darkness. Volpina is stunned (in more ways than one), allowing Ladybug and Cat Noir to break the akumatized object and purify the akuma.
As Lila vents about what happened, she can't understand why she lost. Rena Rouge tells her that they could all smell her coming. Illusions of sight are only good at deceiving one sense (though it's possible that both their illusions can make sounds too). Ladybug uses her world-healing wave. "Pound it!" The heroes act friendly to Lila, who smiles through her lies and grits her teeth. No one believes it.
The heroes part ways with Rena Rouge returning the miraculous to Ladybug, who in turn gives it back to Master Fu.
At school, Lila is completely playing up the "poor, innocent me, I got akumatized and I feel so guilty" bit for sympathy and attention. Alya winds up commenting about her Ladyblog, to which Lila replies that she'd "better get it right this time." Alya asks what she means, and Lila begins claiming the Ladyblog has mistakes; she lists examples (more lies) that she knows because of her "first hand information as Ladybug's friend" and follows it up with a facade of "I'm sure you're trying your best, you just couldn't possibly know these things. I just want to help." Marinette is about to jump in on Alya's behalf as Alya does do her research (not that either of them can prove Lila is lying without revealing they're Rena Rouge and Ladybug). Adrien stops her, telling her that embarrassing Lila won't help anything—and to believe in her friend (this scene isn't dissimilar to the time Cat Noir told Ladybug not to embarrass Chloe/Queen Bee publicly, and it's an intentional parallel that Marinette does not pick up on.) Alya handles it like a champ, largely ignoring Lila's baiting and not paying any attention to her lies. Lila buries her feelings behind a smile, but inside she is simmering with hatred for both Alya and Rena Rouge (and Marinette and Chloe, but less so now).
To be continued in Chapter 11: Silencer…