Chapter 63: All-Star Rex & Reef
It's still the same evening as Chapter 62. Ladybug and Cat Noir have refreshed their kwamis and met up atop the same roof where Cat Noir made dinner for Ladybug in Glaciator. Cat Noir has brought Alpha with him, still entrapped in a cocoon of wind and sound.
When Ladybug alights on the roof, she immediately asks if Alpha is all right. Cat Noir says that Alpha seems to be fine—it's as if he's just sleeping. Ladybug admits it's a bit unnerving as they can see through his shell where he's curled up, eyes closed, breathing slowly. Ladybug puts her fingers on the outside of the cocoon, which causes several different notes to sound.
At the same time, Ladybug and Cat Noir ask each other what happened. Cat Noir explains he means what happened when Ladybug and Alpha attempted sparring earlier, and Ladybug meant what Cat Noir witnessed when Alpha's powers surged. Ladybug first explains that nothing came of the sparring even though they did give it their all. Cat Noir second explains that they were winding down after the fight when Alpha just spaced out and this happened. He wonders what they should do next.
Ladybug says that at least Alpha had a plan should his powers surge this weekend. She tells Cat Noir that Alpha's secret keeper (as the golden duo both know the B Team operates with back-ups) has a forged permission slip that they're going to try to pass off to Alpha's mother to explain him being away for a few days. She admits she's uncomfortable with the lies—but they already lie about so many other things. Cat Noir scolds himself—he forgot all about the secret keepers. When Alpha got trapped, Cat Noir sorta panicked and didn't think. He should have checked out the area for whoever watches Alpha's back. That person deserves to know.
Ladybug adds that the B Team also needs to know and immediately pulls out her yo-yo phone. She logs into the Team B Discord, takes a picture of Alpha floating, uploads it, types a brief message about what happened, and uses the BUZZ feature to alert his allies—because this is definitely an emergency.
Froppy is the first to reply, alarmed and surprised that Alpha is now trapped. She asks to know if he's okay (a question Ladybug and Cat Noir have to field several times); they assure her that he's safe. Froppy asks what happened, so Ladybug begins to explain. Cat Noir pulls out his baton cell phone and joins the chat to add what he witnessed too. Together, they summarize the events of the prior chapter as the rest of the B Team logs in.
Dauphin admits he feels guilty for leaving. He and Honey Bee had been right there. He should have looked after Alpha. Firefly reminds him that this is supposed to happen—he and Froppy and Tsukuyomi have all endured it themselves; it means a new kwami is being born. Plus, Alpha was at least able to plan ahead. Tsukuyomi, somewhat bluntly, asks Ladybug and Cat Noir what they plan to do with Alpha.
The golden duo hesitate. Ladybug points out that they really can't take Alpha to either of their houses—once the cocoon breaks, he'd find out their secret identities (and they'd be liable to find out his). Cat Noir adds that his whole family is abroad at the moment, so that's even worse of an idea (in fact, he does need to get back to London before they get suspicious). Ideally, Alpha's secret keeper could look after him, since that person does know his identity. But they blew it and have no idea who is his secret keeper—and none of the B Team do either. (But it's not as if Juleka could hide Alpha on the houseboat; it's way too small and Anarka would notice it within half a day.) Ladybug regrets they haven't translated more of the grimoire. If they knew how to speed up this process, then Alpha could be able to return home by the morning. Cat Noir also regrets that Master Fu isn't around to help them. He misses the master's advice and experience and just him, himself.
As Ladybug tries to scrape together a plan, she types to Team B, telling them the dilemma about where to keep Alpha safe and still protect his and their identities. For most of the B Team, there'd be no place to hide a floating, sleeping person. Firefly says his parents never noticed when he went under—but even if he took Alpha to his apartment, Alpha would find out who Firefly is when the cocoon broke (and vice versa). Firefly admits he doesn't like this idea as he'd rather his identity remain a secret. But there is a lot of loyalty with the B Team, and if that's what it comes down to to protect Alpha, Firefly is willing to do it. The flip side is that this is without Alpha's consent—as in, even if Firefly is okay with Alpha knowing he's really Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Alpha might not be comfortable with Firefly knowing who he really is.
Everyone is worried. Honey Bee and Dauphine are anxious should the same fate befall them, and Chip Bluestone wonders if anything he knows can help—like if he should offer to pass Alpha off as a stage prop or something. But he doesn't say that—instead, he wonders if there's any neutral place where Alpha would be safe. A school? A library?
Tsukuyomi argues that Alpha would be too vulnerable in a school or abandoned building by himself in this state. Chip suggests they could take turns watching him—which Dauphine and Snow Leopard agree doesn't sound like a bad idea. It just still risks revealing Alpha's secret identity. Honey Bee wonders if there's any way they could belatedly contact Alpha's secret keeper. Ladybug says that Alpha's phone is in his cocoon, so that's out. And without knowing the secret keeper directly, the only way to contact that person would be indirectly, such as a forum post, which risks an impostor showing up. And Alpha has already been targeted by an impostor. Firefly argues this is why they all need to be giving their secret keepers permission to log into the Discord if something happens to them; it worked for him and his secret keeper. Froppy agrees, but they need to deal with the issue at hand.
Cat Noir's mind has been turning ever since Chip suggested a neutral place. "What about a neutral person we can all trust?" Ladybug asks him who he means. Cat Noir suggests Marianne Lenoir. She already knows all about the miraculous and is a former wielder of the black cat. She knows both Ladybug and Cat Noir's identities as well as Master Fu's role as guardian of the miraculous. She would surely keep Alpha safe, and when Alpha woke in her house, it wouldn't reveal anything about anyone else's identities. The only downside to this is that Marianna would find out who Alpha is, possibly against his will, but Ladybug and Cat Noir trust her enough to know she would definitely keep it a secret. The down side of this is that if Marianne gets akumatized again, she'd be pressured to spill Alpha's identity. However, Ladybug and Cat Noir have both already trusted her with their identities even knowing that (the same way they trusted Master Fu, and he could get akumatized and blab identities or hand over miraculous too). Ladybug says she trusts Marianne as Marianne was only akumatized due to extreme circumstances (thinking the man she loved had died), plus Marianne has proven very resilient to hardship—she fought for the resistance during the war after all! Furthermore, Marianne's familiarity with the miraculous gives her an advantage in avoiding the things that get people akumatized in the first place as well as caring for Alpha. If they trust her with their identities, then Alpha's is safe too.
((Addendum: This chapter was conceived before season 4 when it was revealed that Ladybug could create charms that protect people from being akumatized again. That ability is non-canon to this fic, otherwise it would really be perfect to give Marianne such a charm and have her be a foundation of support for Team Ladybug.))
Ladybug admits this is their best idea and relays it to the B Team. They're less enthusiastic, simply because they all have less points of reference for "the guardian of the miraculous" and "his girlfriend's" character and integrity. Snow Leopard, however, speaks up and admits she met the guardian of the miraculous and she does trust him. And if "his girlfriend" is a former black cat who fought to protect France during WWII, then that's all the more reason to trust her too. Plus, they do trust Ladybug and Cat Noir's judgment, don't they? There's some discussion on all sides, but eventually the B Team relents and allows Marianne to look after their leader. (This is to highlight how much closer Team Ladybug and Team Alpha have become—before, when Tsukuyomi first curled up, the B Team was extremely worried about trusting the crow to Master Fu and refused to do so for several days and ultimately had to be bartered with to trust Fu. Now, after discussion, their trust is strong enough to turn their leader over to Marianne.) There's also an outpouring of support for Alpha and hopes for his swift recovering; the team is very loyal to their leader.
Ladybug and Cat Noir promise to do what they can to keep Alpha safe and then log out. It is way, way late at night now. Cat Noir remarks he does need to get back to his family who are "out of the country," but he does want to help Ladybug get Alpha to Marianne's safely. Ladybug tells him to go to his family—it doesn't do them or Paris any good if he gets grounded. Cat Noir checks to make sure Ladybug is okay with this, for sure. He then fuses Kaalki with Plagg, says his good-byes, opens a portal with Voyage, and returns to London. Ladybug says good-bye to him too once to portal closes, and her voice is full of love.
Alone now, Ladybug calls Marianne. She knows it's like 3AM, but she figures it's better to call than to drop in uninvited. On the final ring, Marianne answers. It's clear she was asleep, but it's also clear she's always eager for a call from Ladybug or Cat Noir just in case they have word from the MIA Master Fu. Ladybug tells her it's unfortunately not about Fu, but she's on her way and needs Marianne's help. Marianne asks what's going on, and Ladybug says she'll explain in person.
A few minutes later, Ladybug lands inside Marianne's apartment. Marianne is there in a bathrobe and is stunned to see sleeping Alpha in tow. Ladybug explains everything that's been going on with the B Team—from the antique akumatized items to the processes that brings a new kwami in the world—and she says that they need somewhere and someone who can keep Alpha safe with minimum compromise to everyone's identities. Marianne is most alarmed by the "antique akumatized items" part and wonders if those should even be touched, let alone used. Ladybug relays everything that the cast has previously discussed from stealing them to the danger of Scarlet Hawk Moth controlling them to the B Team's sheer stubbornness about not wanting to give up heroics. She mentions that even Master Fu has come to realize how useful having allies are and how important trust is, and how he, Cat Noir, and Ladybug herself are doing all they can to free the B Team from Hawk Moth's control. It's a long conversation, but Marianne eventually relents. But she wonders if this means Hawk Moth can see them through Alpha. Ladybug doesn't think so, as Hawk Moth has given no indication of such an ability in over 60 chapters—plus, he isn't the actual butterfly user who created these, so that probably weakens his hold on them.
"So, will you please watch over Alpha for us?" Ladybug begs.
Marianne agrees. Ladybug hugs her in relief. Marianne wants to know if Alpha's family is aware of what's going on or if there's going to be a missing child alert tomorrow morning. Ladybug explains about the B Team's secret keepers and how Alpha's is covering for him with an out-of-town trip. Marianne doesn't like this; they're all so young. They shouldn't have to lie so much to the adults in their lives; to the families they love.
Ladybug sits down and drinks the hot cocoa Marianne served her (should she have transformed back into Marinette at any point?). "How did you do it? How did you keep such a secret without it ruining your relationships?" Marianne sips on her own hot cocoa and explains she was older—a young adult—when she and Wang Fu rebelled against the German occupation. But the lies and secrets and subterfuge were hard. Ladybug admits her kwami has said all superheroes struggle with this. Marianne agrees and relays several stories about her time as the black cat. This results in the two women bonding some. By the time they finish, the sun is starting to rise. Ladybug realizes she needs to get home. She says good-bye to both Marianne and Alpha, makes it clear she's still worried about the wolf, and heads out.
She barely lands in her bedroom when her father calls her downstairs. It's time to begin prep work for the baked goods of the day. Ladybug says she'll be right down as she transforms back into Marinette Dupin-Cheng. Both she and Tikki are exhausted. She tucks Tikki into a little tissue bed in her purse with a macaron to nibble on and heads downstairs, yawning herself.
As the sun rises over the Couffaine houseboat, Juleka Couffaine lies in her bed. She hasn't slept either. She's tucked into a tight ball, her stomach aching because she's so upset. I just let them take my brother because I couldn't speak up. It's all my fault; I couldn't say anything to help him when he needed me most. Of course, Juleka knows that Cat Noir is a good person and will look after Luka/Alpha. But that doesn't make it any easier. Her brother is in crisis, and she froze up, unable to find the words to keep him by her side. And now, she has no idea where he is or what state he's in; she can only pray he's safe. She is, literally, worrying herself sick.
Monday rolls around with no change in Alpha, the B Team, Master Fu's location, or Team Ladybug. Juleka has been able to convince her mother that Luka is, indeed, at a rock camp. Anarka is proud of him for living the dream and is surprised at herself for forgetting all about it—but she did sign the permissions slip, it's right there… Meanwhile, she's called Juleka off of school this Monday because Juleka is physically ill with worry about her brother and from keeping such a huge secret.
It's early in the AM, and Adrien and his family are on the startrain, just arriving back into Paris from London. (It barely gives the boys time to get ready for school.) Felix, Amelie, and Adrien are in first class while the rest are in second. Felix is getting progressively sourer from leaving his home behind. Nicholas is reading, Solomon is listening to zen mediation music (actually made by Yvonne Garnier and posted on her Youtube channel), Amelie is chatting on her phone in Russian to deal with various film contracts that her family's company holds, and Nathalie is working on her tablet. She's seeing to the live feed of Gabriel and Emilie as well as keeping her senses open to the magical atmosphere of Paris. Since both the butterfly and peacock miraculous are on her person, as she gets inside the city limits, she becomes aware of the familiar readings. She can sense the bee comb, dolphin anklet, and snow leopard bracelet as well as her own raccoon choker and squirrel glove (not to mention the unicorn cuff links of Nicholas, sitting right next to her). But as they pull into the center of the city, Nathalie can't get any reading whatsoever on the wolf ear cuff. This makes her both irritated and uneasy. Have I delayed too long and lost the wolf too? Or is he further on the east side? Or out of town?
Nathalie does not like any of this. She's losing allies faster than she's gaining them, and with Draco's team and Ladybug's team expanding, she can't afford to be outnumbered. Right now it's just openly her as Hawk Moth (secretly Peacock Moth) and Nicholas as Adamantus (whom Team Ladybug believes is his own faction, but Madam Gros's team knows better thanks to Lila). Ruddiger is a literal sleeper agent, and Chip Bluestone is a mole unaware. That still leaves her with nine items she's handcrafted to expand her allies. Nathalie is well aware that very, very few people would willingly work for a known terrorist like Hawk Moth—Lila Rossi might be the only exception. So I'll just have to force my targets to comply. She hands one specific item to Nicholas. He wonders why, and she tells him to keep it until she chooses a victim to pass it off on. Nicholas agrees and hides the item in his pocket.
Time skip. The gorilla drops Felix, Adrien, and Nicholas off at school before heading back to the Agreste Manor with Amelie and Nathalie. Felix complains about not getting a moment's rest. Adrien starts to ask him if he's okay—after all, they did just come from his father's memorial service. Felix waves his cousin off before he finishes the sentence and enters the building. Marie Chauveau makes beeline for him and tries to strike up a flirty conversation. Felix largely ignores her. Adrien and Nicholas shrug and head into the school together.
Tsuyu Asui and Fumikage Tokoyami meet by his locker and talk in low voices, expressing their concern for Alpha. They know the process itself isn't harmful, but they still worry that everything will be okay with "the guardian's girlfriend." Nathaniel Kurtzberg meets up with Marc Anciel and explains pretty much the same. Cameran Tyler, the American exchange student, joins Tristan Fortier and his girlfriend, Rachel Beauchene. They both ask him to proofread their English homework, since he is a native speaker. Cameran Tyler wonders if that's like cheating, but they insist he can just point out the errors—they'll do the corrections themselves. Guy Nigels, who is Cameran's host brother, just laughs. Rose Lavillant learns that Juleka has called in sick and is worried about her. She suggests to Mylene Haprele that they visit her with a pink cake or something to cheer her up. Mylene points out that Juleka might not feel well enough for company—or for eating cake. So she suggests they call first after school, Rose agrees with that plan and says she'll tell the rest of their friends. Adrien sets out to find Chloe—he just wants to check on her after the rather roller-coaster weekend (with Chloe's mom walking out and then Adrien rejecting her love confession). When Chloe sees him, she stomps away—she does not want to talk to him. Adrien winces, in part blaming himself for their estrangement. Stella Tenebrae, Max Kante, and Gilles Chastain greet each other and discuss how much fun they had at the Young Scientists Symposium over the weekend—they are an unusual group to hang out together. Alya Cesaire catches Nino Lahiffe's attention as she pulls up her newest Ladyblog post, which covers the attack on Jagged Stone from the prior night. She asks him what he thinks—which to outsides, sounds like she's asking him to grammatically edit it, but what she is really asking is if he knows anything about it from the superhero side of things. Kagami Tsurugi opens a website on her phone, looking for advice to talk to the guy she likes (preferably without hurting a dear friend). She relays some of the tips to Tiia and asks the mantis what she thinks. Tiia admits she doesn't have an idea as love is outside the concept of kwamis (unless there is a kwami who actually represents love)—however, Tiia says she's willing to listen and help Kagami practice. Kagami thanks her.
(An image of everyone is here: (( photos . app . goo . gl / cgLSrNi71rxfep9e8 )))
Students head to their classes (notable that both Couffaines are absent—yet no one on the B Team attempts to theorize that Alpha is Luka). Miss Bustier, Ms. Mendeleiev, and Mr. Haprele begin teaching. Per the usual, Madam Gros selects a student for mental health screening, and this time it's Fumikage Tokoyami.
Fumikage sits with great posture and speaks rather formally as he and Madam Gros begin conversing. She asks him about his friends and family and how well he does in school. Fumikage proves to have a very stable core of support with both his family and friends, but emotionally still has some flaws such as becoming overwhelmed when stressed out. However, as he readily admits this, he also shows how humble he is. His fascination with the dark and gothic also comes out during the discussion.
Madam Gros notes that he has never been akumatized. Fumikage raises an eyebrow, but he realizes as far as the public knows, this is true—as no one besides the heroes realizes that he was behind both Crow-man and Berserker. Madam Gros doesn't notice his skepticism and commends him on avoiding Hawk Moth's machinations. He dryly replies with a "thank you."
Madam Gros then asks him his thoughts on Hawk Moth and Mayura. Fumikage calls them criminals who will be brought to justice—and he doesn't doubt that that day will come, because evil does not prevail as long as heroes rise in Paris. (Yes, he speaks rather eloquently). Madam Gros states that he's referring to Ladybug and Cat Noir; what does he think of them? Fumikage pauses a moment, then he answers with, "I trust them." Madam Gros thanks him for his time and excuses him back to class. She writes in her notes that she really thought he'd be a lot more edgy and into violence because of his hobbies; she's surprised to see he's so noble. Which means he's useless to her.
During lunch, Lila Rossi strikes up a conversation with students in grades younger and older than her. She's shilling the selfie she took with herself and Ladybug and Cat Noir, trying to boost her reputation with her manufactured heroics. Her lies are better crafted this time and are working on the majority. Rose Lavillant and Mylene Haprele join the rest of the girls from Miss Bustier's class (minus Chloe and Sabrina) and explain their idea to visit Juleka and give her a get-well-soon package. "Only if her mother says she's up for company, of course." Alix Kubdel and the rest eagerly agree with this. Alya immediately calls Anarka. Unfortunately, Anarka tells them that it's probably not a good day as Juleka is in bed, curled up with a massive stomach ache. However, she encourages the girls to send Juleka texts and emails, as she's sure her daughter would appreciate the support. Alya thanks her and relays the news to her friends, who all immediately do that and begin texting Juleka. Sabrina Raincomprix joins Yvonne Garnier and Genevieve Faucher at their lunch table. Yvonne pulls out her latest zen mix for them to listen to, and Sabrina takes a few minutes to write in her emotions diary. Kagami Tsurugi finds a quiet place to eat alone—or rather, eat with Tiia as she practices ice breakers, generic chit-chat, and even some low-key flirting based on advice from a friendship and dating website. Cameran Tyler breaks out a care package his parents sent him—Oreos! He shares them with his friends. (I don't know if things have changed, but when I was in school, our French exchange student said they didn't have Oreos in France.) Marinette takes a moment to text Marianne to see if there's been any change in Alpha. She replies that there isn't. Marinette forwards the message on to Cat Noir. This is a problem, as Alpha's "out of town camp" excuse will run out that afternoon.
Elsewhere in Paris, Nathalie Sancoeur is working alone. She has her tablet pulled up as she watches and rewatches the matches of Ladybug and Cat Noir and allies against various akuma victims. She analyzes the battles for strengths and weaknesses; the strongest akuma victims will make her strongest allies. And since she already has her mole firmly inserted in the B Team and the heroes convinced Adamantus is an unrelated faction, there's no need for complex plans and lies. She'll be a scalpel, simple and precise—and she'll turn her remaining nine targets into sleeper agents, just like Ruddiger. After all, Nathalie figures based on the grimoire images as well as the B Team, it appears as if keeping a handcrafted akuma item on a wielder long-term increases its power and effectiveness. And she'll need both to defeat Team Ladybug and Team Draco. She zooms in on one powerful former opponent, Magnum Rex. She then sends a text message with a name in it to Nicholas. His new target: Cameran Tyler.
Afternoon classes begin, and Madam Gros calls Etienne Fontaine out of Mr. Haprele's class. Etienne takes a moment to fix his hair in the reflection of the glass before continuing to her office. He is the class's resident pretty boy—and he knows it. She begins with her usual questions, starting with hobbies. Etienne says he writes a blog where he reviews skin and hair care products for men. It has a pretty decent following outside of Paris. Plus, he really enjoys testing out lotions and volumizers. He starts to expound on his favorite name brands when Madam Gros steers the conversation back to the matter at hand.
She asks him about his family and friends. Etienne reveals himself to be an only child, and his parents have spoiled him pretty badly. He usually gets what he wants—and what he wants is fashion and "handsome care products." When he goes to answer about friends, he stops. It takes him a moment, but then he realizes he doesn't really have any friends. "I'm best friends with myself. And that's enough." At this point, Madam Gros has seen enough to accurately peg him as a classic narcissist in her notes. She asks him about any love interests, and he just shrugs and figures everyone is in love with him.
His narcissism especially becomes apparent when Etienne begins to hint that he feels he can do nothing wrong (Remember the Narcissist's Prayer). For example, his recent bad test grade isn't because he didn't study—it's because Mr. Haprele didn't cover the material properly in class (he did). And Ms. Mendeleiev has unrealistic expectations of them because she assigns homework—doesn't she realizes Etienne has things he wants to do in his personal time? Madam Gros half-zones out as Etienne monologues. She knows narcissists are a pain to deal with—however, it is a trait that can find useful, and he does remind her of a certain power…
Madam Gros debates Etienne and asks him about his thoughts on Hawk Moth and Ladybug. Etienne is largely apathetic towards the existence of superheroes and supervillains. He just sees them as a distraction to living the life he loves. But he does let it slip, "I don't like them very much because they take attention away from me."
The counselor hesitates because all signs point to Etienne being a handful to control if she made him a pawn. However, his personality and specific things he says remind her very much of a kwami she knows…which means he would be a perfect match for that miraculous. And he's so self-absorbed, he's not likely to question her nor allow himself to become second fiddle to the heroes.
Madam Gros decides to trust her instincts (and the fact she's having trouble finding a full set of 12 allies) and produces the Western miracle box. Etienne's eyes go wide at all of the accessories inside. Madam Gros selects the compact mirror and hands it to him. She explains she's the leader of the true order of miraculous and needs someone brave and handsome like Etienne to help her. Well, Etienne buys it the moment she says "handsome." She strokes his ego just enough as she explains her mission is to keep magic off of the streets of Paris and that she wants Etienne's help to do so—after all, he's obviously talented enough to rival even Ladybug and Cat Noir.
Etienne asks what he has to do. Madam Gros repeats her largely fictitious account of Ladybug and Cat Noir violating the laws of the Orders of Miraculous and working for Hawk Moth—though with Etienne, she implies they might not be aware of it because she doesn't want to come on too strong and drive Etienne away. However, her lie is roughly consistent enough that should he talk to Shark Regina or Queen Scorpion, it'd be harder to note any inconsistencies. And those they do find could be handled with Oblivion.
She claims Hawk Moth is deliberately making it look as if he "loses" to Ladybug because every time they clash, it creates chaos magic. That chaos magic is growing and will become a serious threat to Paris and everyone who lives here. That's when it'll be too late to fight back. Ladybug and Hawk Moth will team up and hold Paris hostage, and the government will have no choice but to bow to their wishes. Madam Gros and her allies are trying to stop that from happening.
Madam Gros seals the deal by promising Etienne fame and glory and attention if he becomes a hero. She even slyly suggests that once Ladybug and Cat Noir are forced to retire, Paris will need a new, handsome protector. Etienne fully accepts the role and opens the compact. This causes the Pisces koi kwami to appear. Etienne is dumbfounded and remarks that they look like perfume mascots. "They" because the Pisces koi is actually two fish—almost two kwamis, except these two cannot be far apart from each other at all. The one that is mostly orange with a little white is named Bubbles and the one that is mostly white with a little orange is named Betta. They greet Etienne as their new master, speaking in unison.
Etienne composes himself by tossing his hair and says "hi" in return. He compliments their scales, saying that the scale pattern is totally in this season. Madam Gros warns him that he's not to transform unless she tells him. "We don't want to create that chaos magic any more than necessary, right?"
Then she goes on to explain what kwamis are and how they work and what the Pisces's powers are (which isn't revealed to the reader at this time). Etienne likes what he hears. Madam Gros appreciates his eagerness.
While she does realize that there is a notable risk of her pawns using their powers, being beaten by Ladybug and Cat Noir, and the miraculous taken by the Eastern Order, she also realizes that she puts her team at a disadvantage if she never lets them practice. So she says she'll allow Etienne to take the Pisces on a test run—however, he'll have one of her allies join him so he's not alone. Madam Gros sends a text to that person, someone whose powers will compliment the Pisces well.
School ends, and the student body disperses. Marinette sends off a message to Cat Noir, saying one of them should visit Marianne Lenoir to check on Alpha. He should be breaking free soon. Nicholas Sancoeur loops by Ms. Mendeleiev's class. When Cameran Tyler isn't looking, he slips a piece of jewelry into his bag. Nicolette Lacroix approaches Etienne Fontaine and compliments his hair. This actually catches his attention for once, which thrills Nicolette. She then suggests that they could go to a spa and salon together, trying to appeal to his interests. Etienne turns her down because he has plans that afternoon (courtesy of Madam Gros). Nicolette, dejected, suggests another time. Etienne doesn't reply as he's back to preening himself. Monique Imhof, Nicolette's best friend, tells her the only way Etienne will pay attention to her is if she was wearing a mirror and that "you should have given the cute American exchange student a chance." Nicolette says that the heart is too complicated for that. Aurore Beaureal checks her cell phone and the B Team's Discord. However, there's no updates on Alpha's condition. She bites her lip and heads to work. Jakeel Aristide and Jean Duparc being practicing a tandem juggling act—and they're actually pretty good together. Jean Duparc again comments on Jakeel's choker, which he still seems oblivious about and doesn't want to talk about. Suzette Rault joins up with Marie Chauveau and suggests they head to the bookstore to read up on the newest yaoi manga. Marie turns her down, saying she has more important things to do. This causes Suzette's eyes to narrow as bitterness takes a root. (Yes, again, the whole cast's images are here: (( photos . app . goo . gl / cgLSrNi71rxfep9e8 ))).
Etienne Fontaine waits until his classmates have mostly dispersed and then heads to the back of the school where he lets Bubbles and Betta out of his bag. He tosses his hair and opens his compact mirror miraculous and tells them "Let's do this." Bubbles and Betta, in unison, coach him to say: "Bubbles! Betta! Keep Swimming!" which he does, transforming himself into a rather flashy koi-themed superhero…or at least, super antagonist. (Yes, couldn't resist the Finding Nemo reference.)
Etienne's transformation includes a loose-fitting shirt with billowy sleeves and equally billowy pants. His hair gets sleeked back and two orange and white head fins appear just at the edges of his matching domino mask. His outfit also includes gloves, a belt, and a pair of ankle-high boots. A fishing net twists around his waist as his weapon. His outfit also has pockets (lucky!) where he slips his miraculous.
Etienne catches his reflection in the mirror and loves how unique and fashionable he looks. "No skin tight black leather for me! How 1980s!" He then hears a voice and turns around, seeing Shark Regina (Marie Chauveau transformed) approaching him.
"So, you're the new guy?" she asks. "Madam Gros sent me to help you out. Are you gay?"
Etienne says he isn't and is a bit put off that that's literally the first thing she asks him. "Inappropriate much?" She seems disappointed by his answer. He then introduces himself as "Reef" because he's as handsome as the most lively, vibrant coral reef. Shark Regina gives her name, but she adds she suspects he knows it already since she already had her debut on the news.
Meanwhile, Cameran Tyler digs through his bag to find a stick of gum—and instead pulls out a bracelet that he has no idea how it got there. It's heavy with slivers of opal inset. He tries it on (because totally the thing everyone would do when finding a strange piece of jewelry is try it on, right? Lol!)
This immediately triggers the fact it now has a wielder to Nathalie (transformed), who uses Peacock Moth's long-range telepathy to tell Nicholas to move in, according to plan. Nicholas agrees and heads into the bathroom to transform into Adamantus. (At this point, the school might as well install changing booths for all the empowered individuals running around.)
As soon as Nathalie/Peacock Moth is done talking to Adamantus, she causes both Cameran and Jakeel to space out. Sleep. Sleep and forget. With them in a trance, she directs them away from the public. Once out of the way, she pushes Jakeel to transform into Ruddiger. She then overpowers Cameran and has him transform for the first time.
This reveals the animal of the opal bracelet is a chameleon. However, it merges with Cameran's die-hard love of baseball. So his transformation outfit is a baseball uniform, complete with hat and glove and cleats. He doesn't wear a mask—instead, the bill of his cap is kept so low that it keeps his eyes in permanent shadow. His favorite number (7) is on the back as is his superhero alias: "All-Star Rex" (because Cameran also has a fascination with dinosaurs and because his akumatized form was Magnum Rex). It should be no surprise that a baseball bat forms in his hand as his primary weapon.
Ruddiger and All-Star Rex just sorta stand side by side, zoned, under Peacock Moth's control until Adamantus lands by them. "We need to test your powers to ensure the integration is complete." Ruddiger and Rex agree. For Nathalie and Nicholas, the purpose of this isn't to cause trouble or get others' miraculouses for once. Instead, Nathalie/Peacock Moth just wants to test her handcrafted items to work out any flaws. She wants to keep the practice low-key.
Oddly, it's similar for Reef and Shark Regina. Madam Gros requested that Shark Regina help Reef learn his powers. However, she urges them to go away from the school so her HQ isn't compromised. Once she knows Reef and Shark Regina have met, she sends them both a text giving them a new location to travel to. "You might as well kill two birds with one stone. While you're learning how to use your new-found powers, you can also work on completing a mission another associate of mine has failed with. More information will be given when you arrive." Shark Regina grumbles about being yanked around, but Reef is curious and eager to see what he can do and how great he'll look while doing it. He and Shark Regina leave, leaping rooftop to rooftop.
A shadow pass over Adamantus. The diamond unicorn looks up just in time to see Shark Regina and Reef pass by. He quickly relays this to Peacock Moth, who tells him, Ruddiger, and All-Star Rex to follow them immediately. All three boys comply and also take to the rooftops.
Reef and Shark Regina land near an abandon building. A deep voice greets them and Tarantula reveals himself, clinging to the corners of the roof in shadows. Tarantula lowers himself to the ground using spider thread and introduces himself by his alias and "Madam Gros's right hand." Reef complains about his black leather outfit. Shark Regina expresses disgust for a spider transformation, and Reef wants to know what this is all about and when he'll get his chance to be amazing.
Tarantula explains that they've been tasked with finding someone—someone whom Rhino has repeatedly failed to track down, despite all the help he's given. Tarantula explains that the spider miraculous he's using has the ability to track any prey he's previously marked as long as that person is still within an area the size of Paris. And he marked a certain old man. Today, together, they're going to find the Guardian of the Eastern Order of the Miraculous.
Reef wonders about the whole "orders of miraculous" thing. Tarantula briefly explains that there's an order for every cardinal direction, and that the servants of those orders are to keep the magic of their miracle boxes contained. However, the Eastern Order has failed. Tarantula repeats the lie about chaos magic threatening Paris and declares that his order, the Western Order, is here to clean things up. "Now, let's go find our quarry."
His explanation gives enough time for Adamantus's trio to catch up, and he and Ruddiger and All-Star Rex burst in at that time. Tarantula scolds Shark Regina and Reef for allowing themselves to be followed. Neither Reef nor Shark Regina care—they're both pretty self-centric. Elsewhere, Nathalie is pretty happy that Adamantus found three people with miraculous. After all, she needs more than just the black cat and ladybug if her plan to save Gabriel will work. All six begin fighting.
Tarantula uses his webs to try to limit Adamantus's team's movement. He immediately cautions Reef and Shark Regina about using their abilities because they only have one chance before they go on a countdown because "they have real miraculous."
All-Star Rex gloats that his team doesn't have such limitations and reveals his ability. "Play ball." He can conjure a baseball-sized sphere of any of the major elements (earth, fire, wind, water, light, or darkness) which he then throws into the air to hit with his baseball bat in order to attack his enemies. (Or he can get creative with it, like using water baseballs to put out fire or light baseballs to illuminate the darkness, but those aren't applicable at the moment.)
Shark Regina elegantly flips over Ruddiger's head and aims a kick at the back of his knees. However, Adamantus moves to defend the raccoon, and Shark Regina winds up hurting her ankle on the diamond unicorn's suit.
Reef calls them all uncouth and finds fighting to be nothing except "getting dirty and sweaty." All-Star Rex targets him with water baseballs, but Reef, being a koi, finds it refreshing.
The chaos of the fight leaks out of the abandoned building. Passersby aren't sure what to make of it, but they begin reporting it in various ways including calling the police, contacting the mayor, notifying the local news, streaming it over the Internet, and yes—using the Akuma Alert app too. Which, of course, notifies the heroes that there's something they need to investigate.
Marinette and Adrien both find a private place to transform. They don't yet know if there is or isn't an akuma, but they can't risk not having their powers if there is. They meet up a few roofs away from the abandon building and notice the exploding fiery baseballs, stringy webs, and waves of water erupting from within. They head closer, figuring they have time to scope out the area before they're noticed.
And they are very surprised when they see three people known to be associates of Draco fighting Adamantus and his two allies. Cat Noir points out that the cast is growing larger as he and Ladybug have not yet met Reef or Rex. Ladybug points out that with six enemies, even with their enemies fighting each other, they're going to need help. Cat Noir pulls up both chat servers and notes that their allies are logging in and exchanging information. Ladybug watches the elements that All-Star Rex throws around—she knows one ally for sure whom they'll need. She tells Cat Noir to lay low while she retrieves this person. After all, they might as well let their opponents tire out against each other. Cat Noir says it'll take more than just three of them, so he'll PM a few other allies while she's gone. She smiles at him and heads off. Cat Noir melts at her smile.
Ladybug swings by Francoise Dupont High School and spots a sleek red car pulling away. Ladybug pursues it and then drops by the window, waving the Kagami Tsurugi inside. Kagami tells the automatic driver to stop and gets out. Kagami says she saw the news report. Ladybug is glad, as that saves her from having to explain the details—they need Ryuko's help. Kagami tilts her head, fully aware that Tiia is in her purse right then. "Do you and Cat Noir ever compare notes?" Ladybug doesn't understand the question, and Kagami figures it's a secret and doesn't explain any farther. Ladybug hands Kagami the dragon miraculous and then swings on ahead. Kagami tells her auto-car that she's "going to study with friends" and races off before it can protest. She ducks down an alleyway and transforms into Ryuko. She then meets Ladybug on the rooftop, and they hurry back to Cat Noir.
Cat Noir has withdrawn a bit from the Adamantus Team v Tarantula Team fight. He's close enough to keep an eye on things but far enough away that it's harder for them to see him. Based on the opponents having two aquatic allies, Cat Noir specifically requests the B Team bring in Froppy. This surprises the whole B Team as never before have Ladybug or Cat Noir requested them—they always just showed up on a judgment call that they were needed. Cat Noir acknowledges that things have changed—they're friends now. (He considers Honey Bee too, but he respects the fact she's very wary about the cocoon process, so doesn't push things. The same with Dauphin/Dauphine and being aquatic but having yet to undergo their surge.) He also sends a text to Carapace, requesting his assistance. He counts, that brings his team up to five—they should be able to handle things. Right?
Ladybug then lands with Ryuko, and Cat Noir says it's great to see her again. Ryuko says something along the lines of "don't you recognize me?" but Cat Noir doesn't see her as Kamaitachi. Ladybug asks Cat Noir how their enemies are going, and he motions for her to see for herself.
All-Star Rex is burning through Tarantula's webs while Adamantus shows off some serious martial arts skills against Shark Regina, who is more like a dancer as she dodges him. Reef is avoiding more of the fight as he doesn't want to ruin his looks and Ruddiger is keeping all of his opponents off-guard by Stealing their weapons and swapping them around. He's even able to mimic Tarantula's webs when he Steals Tarantula's twin needles, his miraculous's weapon.
The heroes watch a bit longer to strategize—after all, it's not often they have an advantage like this. And while they wait, Carapace and Froppy join them, Froppy having helped Carapace get the final stretch since his jumping is one of the least augmented. Those who haven't met each other before greet each other now. Ladybug says with her team "assembled," it's time for them to leap in. Her allies agree.
In the fight, Tarantula twists to confront Adamantus, as both are the current leaders. Tarantula calls out Adamantus. "You're working for Hawk Moth." Adamantus, as Nicholas, remains stoic and emotionless and unreadable. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Shark Regina and Reef are stuck, back to back, as Ruddiger and All-Star Rex close in on them—Ruddiger has Adamantus's screwdrivers in hand after several rounds of Steal.
Ladybug and allies burst in dramatically. Tarantula blames their entry on Adamantus. Adamantus shrugs it off; it's more miraculous for his "sponsor." Ladybug coaches her team to spread out as each knows who to target.
If it wasn't a chaotic free for all before, it is now. All-Star Rex and Ruddiger prioritize going after Cat Noir, with Ruddiger immediately Stealing Cat Noir's baton for Adamantus's twin screwdrivers. Reef and Shark Regina, seeing that their cornered but having a brief moment to breathe, active their abilities. Reef reveals the ability of the Pisces is called "Fabricate." It creates fabric and thread, which the Pisces user can wield in a variety of ways: armor, binding, camouflage, climbing, offense, etc. "Fabricate" even allows Reef to control existing threads and fabric, should he choose—such as the thread on Ladybug's yo-yo or even Reef's own fisherman's net. Reef's initial use of "Fabricate" creates a cloth shield to protect himself and Shark Regina. (I hope "Fabricate" isn't too close to Tikki's ability since both do create things…)
Reef's ability catches both Froppy and Ryuko off guard, forcing them to fall back. Ryuko activates her Thunder Dragon ability and aims to strike their enemies too swiftly to respond. However, it does take a second to say the words "Thunder Dragon," during which time Shark Regina has a chance to active her own ability: Mutation. Mutation turns one element into another element—and Reef's fabric qualifies. Shark Regina quickly turns all of his fabric into metal just as Ryuko goes to strike. The metal acts as a lightning rod, deviating her away from the Western wielders and trapping her inside a filament. Shark Regina gloats about how easy Ryuko's capture was and how happy their boss will be with her miraculous. Cat Noir lets out a roar of anger (his developing character trait is his sense of justice/injustice and his frustration at being powerless to help his friends—which has only escalated with Alpha dropping). Shark Regina turns to Froppy, but Froppy gives her a wet Willy from the distance, freaking her out. This gives Ryuko time to activate another ability, "Water Dragon." She oozes out of the metal and reforms—now only with her "Wind Dragon" left. However, Shark Regina and Reef are now on their counters.
However, the whole abandoned building is now threaded with fabric-turned-metal, making it all but impossible for the other heroes and villains to move. Cat Noir himself was pushed to the ground and nearly smothered when fabric turned to metal on top of his lungs. He's forced to use his "Cataclysm" to free himself, putting him on a timer as well. All-Star Rex tries to bombard Cat Noir with ice baseballs (ice counts as an element as a subset of water); Carapace leaps in to shield him. "Shelter Shock!" That also puts Carapace on a counter too.
Ladybug herself charges Tarantula and Adamantus. This is where things get interesting. As Tarantula has to ensure Adamantus does not win and vice versa—so they would both likely sabotage each other to prevent the other from getting Ladybug's miraculous. We've seen this before. Basically, any two of these three could team up to take the third down—then break their alliance and aim to take each other out. But they all know this, which means the moment one looks like he or she is going to be singled out, the gloves will come off. As in…this is basically a chess game with three players. And because no one player can let either of the other two win, the moment it looks as if one is coming out ahead, the other two will sabotage to ensure that person doesn't win. And because of that sabotage, the only result can be losing. In short, with three factions, they're stuck in a stalemate.
And this really shows up when Tarantula declares "Trace!" and shots a web towards the middle of Ladybug's shoulder blades. Adamantus, who has Ruddiger's hook-tipped paintbrush because of Steal, deflects the strike and actually warns Ladybug that he heard Tarantula admit that he can track down any individual whom he tags—just like he did Ladybug's ally in the Guardian of the Miraculous.
"Thanks…? But why are you helping me?" she asks.
"I'm not helping you," Adamantus states as a matter of fact. "I'm harming him." He swings at her.
Ladybug leaps backward and activates her Lucky Charm. She gets a floodlight and has no idea how to use it immediately. Tarantula charges her, attempting to bind her before she can figure things out. As he gets close, he attempts to reveal that Adamantus is working for Hawk Moth out of spite for Adamantus blocking his "Trace." However, Adamantus counterstrikes, knocking the wind from Tarantula before he can let that secret out.
One floor lower in the abandoned building, Ruddiger and All-Star Rex are clearly starting to tire. Shark Regina and Reef, especially Reef, show their inexperience. With some precise maneuvering between Froppy and Carapace, they're able to trap those four back to back. Desperate, Ruddiger Steals back his paintbrush, which puts Adamantus on the floor above off-balance. The diamond unicorn decides not to bank on weapons with the peridot raccoon around, despite being his ally, and physically charges Ladybug. He tackles her with his diamond suit emphasizing the damage. The already weakened floor breaks, and they drop below. Ryuko is forced to use her "Wind Dragon" to avoid being crushed. Tarantula merely clings to the wall and avoids it all. During the fall, Ladybug drops her Luck Charm.
The floodlight lands, illuminating both Ruddiger and All-Star Rex. The skin around Ruddiger's neck and All-Star Rex's wrist are changing colors to grey and white respectively. Cat Noir notices and wonders aloud what is going on. Adamantus secretly relays this to Peacock Moth, who orders an immediate retreat of her forces. Adamantus stops fighting Ladybug and Tarantula to leap to Ruddiger and Rex's aid. Shark Regina and Reef move into position, and Ladybug and her allies regroup. All three forces are spaced evenly apart, eyeing the others for a moment to strike. However, one character is missing from the line-up: Froppy. At least, she's not visible. She used her Camouflage and is clinging to the wall opposite of Tarantula, unseen.
She's the one who strikes first, and she targets Reef because he's the one she sees as the weakest, he currently has his guard down, and because Ladybug requested her and Carapace focus on the other aquatic users. She catches him with her fishing hook and strings him up from the ceiling.
In that moment, Adamantus lunges. It looks as if he's going to attack Ladybug; Cat Noir moves to defend. However, Adamantus strikes the floodlight instead, which breaks it, leaving everyone dazed as their eyes have to adjust. In that instance, Adamantus and his forces withdraw.
Ryuko, not willing to back down, aims where Shark Regina was last standing. The two girls collide. Shark Regina drives Ryuko away by blowing a shrill note right into the dragon's ears on her pan pipes. This alerts everyone to where Shark Regina is, and the heroes hone in on her. However, it also notifies Tarantula, who pulls her and Reef out of the way with his webbing.
All around the room, timers are beeping. Tarantula, too, declares his retreat in the darkness. Now, while he could easily abandon Shark Regina or Reef, leaving them behind to see the heroes' identities, he realizes doing so might make it possible for the heroes to track Marie or Etienne back to their school and thus to Madam Gros. So he takes his losses in stride and retreats with his fledging allies. Cat Noir calls him a coward.
However, by the time their eyes have all adjusted, Team Ladybug is alone. Ladybug quickly cautions them to check themselves for Tarantula's webbing as he can use that to follow them, according to Adamantus. He's tracking "the master" that way too. It's a good thing they did, because they do find webbing on both Carapace and Cat Noir. Cat Noir also encourages everyone to leave the scene immediately—this place is too compromised, and with them all about to transform back, there's no guarantee their identities will remain a secret. They all agree and split. Carapace and Cat Noir head one way, Ryuko and Ladybug another, and Froppy a third.
Froppy, now Tsuyu, sends them all a quick text as thanks for including her and for helping the B Team and to "please keep us updated about Alpha."
Carapace turns back into Nino, not too far away. Cat Noir also reverts to Adrien. But both have too much respect to peek. Wayzz, however, does drift over to Adrien and Plagg and asks if they have any word about Master Fu. Adrien says nothing except the previous riddle, which has them all stumped. Wayzz then wonders if it's true—that Tarantula is tracking Master Fu. Adrien feels it's likely, based on what happened in Rhino. But he assures Wayzz that Master Fu has kept himself safe all this time—he'll continue to outsmart Tarantula. Wayzz thanks them and, still worried, returns to Nino. They all head home.
Marinette actually takes a moment to refresh Tikki and then transform back. She approaches Ryuko, who is now again Kagami. Kagami thanks her for again calling upon her and again hints "why don't you and Cat Noir compare things?" to which Ladybug has no idea what she's talking about. However, she does have some great news for Kagami. She wants her to watch over Longg on a more permanent basis. To keep him and the miraculous safe so that, should a villain succeed, he or she wouldn't get all the miraculous. It takes Kagami a moment to remember she's actually supposed to be surprised by this new and act the part (as she already knows this from being Kamaitachi and keeping Tiia). She thanks Ladybug and the absent Cat Noir for trusting her. Ladybug offers to get Kagami home, an offer that she accepts.
Once at home, Kagami tells Longg to make himself at home in her bedroom. Then she says she needs to tell Longg the truth and reveals that Tiia is hiding in her purse. This results in both kwamis exclaiming "Kagami is Kamaitachi/Ryuko?!" Kagami chuckles. She is happy that both of the golden duo believe in her. And she finds it weird that they can work together so well and yet they don't communicate basic things, like whom they've chosen for allies.
Also winding down, Adamantus and Ruddiger and All-Star Rex find a safe place to regroup. However, with no pressure on, Peacock Moth is doing the minimum to control the raccoon and the chameleon. Both are just standing there, eyes glazed over. Adamantus is talking to his aunt through long-range telepathy. He asks if it was a successful test, and she saw it was as it highlighted there are still flaws in the items she made. She forces Ruddiger and Rex to detransform and then has them walk calmly to a nearby public location (maybe the library?). Adamantus reverts back to Nicholas Sancoeur and follows them. Once the two boys are set up so it looks natural, Peacock Moth tells Nicholas to reclaim her items so she can continue to work with them. Nicholas does so and leaves just like any patron. Peacock Moth then breaks her hold on the boys, who continue studying as if nothing went wrong. They have no memories of the afternoon—just like unwilling akuma victims don't remember their time evilized.
Tarantula drops Shark Regina and Reef off near a residential street. He reminds them not to use their powers for fun—only when they're called upon. Then he leaves. Shark Regina sinks to the ground, exhausted. Reef is clutching his ribs, sore from the fight. Shark Regina begins to wonder if this is worth it—but she also recalls the end game of usurping Ladybug's role. And the whole chaos magic thing. Her toe ring is beeping very severely. Shark Regina makes a shooing motion, telling Reef to leave before she transforms back rather than walking away herself. Reef, who is equally arrogant, remarks he is uninterested in remaining next to someone who sits in the dirt. He walks away, hiding a limp. Shark Regina, alone and out of sight now, transforms back into Marie Chauveau. She is, to be honest, disgusted with herself from sitting on the ground—but she is tired. She feeds Pann the Capricorn kwami a dried sardine and they recover together. Once they've regained their breath, Marie heads for the bus and vanishes into the city.
Reef is actually a bit lost as he doesn't know this section of Paris. And he's hurting more than he lets on because "handsome men don't bruise." Despite his claims, he's not as physically fit as many of the other characters. And he is a bit careless as he wanders by an apartment complex as someone is watching him at that very moment. The very moment his transformation breaks, which surprises Etienne as he hadn't experienced this before. The exhaustion catches up with him at that moment, and he sinks to the ground despite his own protests. Bubbles and Betta float beside him, mentioning they're hungry. Etienne in a rare display of humility says he's sorry because he doesn't have any food.
The door into the apartment complex is thrown open. And there, standing in the frame, is Nicolette Lacroix from school. She's obviously very worried. She babbles that she saw the whole thing and is Etienne okay and come inside and rest and who did this to you? He helps him to his feet, and he leans against her as she takes him inside her home.
Once Etienne is comfortable on the couch with a plate of cookies (and seaweed chips for the kwami), Nicolette begs him to tell her what happened. She's shocked to see he was transformed into an orange and white hero? Villain? She doesn't know. What he akumatized? Well, Etienne is now the center of attention, and being a narcissist at the center of attention, he does a very poor job at keeping anything a secret. So he explains what happened to him since his mental health screen in the most self-aggrandizement way possible. He makes it sound as if Madam Gros picked him because of his noble qualities (and yes, he reveals Madam Gros's secret). He then makes it out as if Tarantula and Shark Regina were incompetent and he carried the battle himself, only to be brutalized by Ladybug and Cat Noir and "some trivial, unimportant others." Nicolette, who has been crushing on Etienne pretty hard all year, takes what he says to be the truth. She is deeply offended that Ladybug and Cat Noir would attack him so cruelty; she had thought better of them. Not anymore.
Meanwhile, Nicholas returns the items to Nathalie, including his own cuff links. He wonders why he doesn't slide towards corruption like Ruddiger and Rex from prolonged use of his powers. Nathalie states it's probably because Nicholas, as a senti monster, was created to have minimum emotions. And it's being too emotional that agitates the akumas in her handcrafted item and veers them towards akumatization instead of miraculous without kwamis. She begins working on her items, her mind pondering the missing wolf. Nicholas falls silent and thinks, But I do feel things. Are those emotions not real?
To be continued in Chapter 64: Crimson…