Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug, Cat Noir and Steel Butterfly.
Chapter 45: Captain Hardrock vs. Captain Goldheart.
(Author's notes: This is it, folks. But what do you think Captain Goldheart's outfit will look like? Well, let's find out! Enjoy chapter 45: Captain Hardrock vs. Captain Goldheart!)
(Quantic Universe Earth 139, August 11th, 2015, Steel Butterfly's voiceover POV as he writes in his Rorschach-inspired journal while sitting across the Couffaine houseboat on the Seine...)
Steel Butterfly's journal.
August 11th, 2015.
First journal entry today.
Now, today's the day that the so-called "pirate" Anarka Couffaine becomes Akumatized into Captain Hardrock, an actual but still Akumatized pirate whose pirate ship can fly and blast devastatingly loud music out of its speakers, as well as fire actual live rounds out of its cannons and imprison anyone on board the ship in chains that are easy to unlock if one prisoner is accompanied by a kwami.
Jeez Louise. She's much crazier than Lila as the Future Hawk Moth.
And another thing: why does Anarka leave her houseboat a mess? Doesn't she realize that messiness results in serious and often fatal accidents and injuries of various kinds? As well as poor hygiene in her children?
Ugh. Disgusting abomination of a human being and pathetic excuse of a mother.
If I had to compare her poor hygiene to someone with similarly poor hygiene, it wouldn't be that psychopath from that stupid criminal's video game Grand Theft Auto V. No, no, no, I would rather compare her poor hygiene to Lawrence Quinn from the 2003 live action film version of Dr. Seuss' The Cat In The Hat. Well, maybe except for the fact that Lawrence has dentures and he happens to be fat just because he's too lazy to get in shape and just because he likes food too much to the point where the simple thought of burning calories and building muscle would make him have a rage out. Along with the fact that he doesn't have a job and he hopes to mooch off of Joan Walden for her money, residence, food, and television while sending away her children to military school and disposing of their dog Nevins.
Yeesh.
Nevertheless, I happen to have in mind someone perfect enough to Tenshize into Captain Hardrock's total opposite, Captain Goldheart. I can't say who it is for certain, but I can guarantee that it'll be one of my contacts.
In any case, as you know from watching the last episode, I consulted the Council of Time Guardians about Timefixer attempting to merge my timeline with hers in an attempt to forcibly boot me out of her sector of the multiverse and revive the problems of the original timeline I still have even though some of the first ones, some of the second ones, and some of the third ones from season 1 to the middle of season 2 are already long gone.
But what puzzles me is this: how was Primary Future Hawk Moth able to Akumatize Bunnyx in the first place?
Like seriously, I thought that the Rabbit Burrow could only be accessed by anybody as long as a portal leading to the Rabbit Burrow was opened and kept open for emergencies by anyone other than Bunnyx using the Rabbit Miraculous in the past, in the present, and/or in the future?
I really don't get it; it doesn't make sense to me.
I guess in spite of my intellect, there's some things that won't make sense, even with explanations given in layman terms.
Eh. Either way, I ain't gonna allow Timefixer to destroy my timeline. No matter what happens, I'm gonna have my revenge, but not necessarily in the murderous antihero sense. No, what I had in mind was making sure that Timefixer is caught off-guard so I can deakumatize her and give her a thorough lecture on the consequences of her actions.
Granted, she could try to ignore my Reason You Suck speech, but sadly it will be at her own peril if she does. Simply because, as I watched, the Council of Time Guardians have infinite ways of punishing any traitors – willing or otherwise – or even any time supervillains who caused major disturbances to the time streams of their native universes.
And true, Bunnyx as a teenager or as an immortal 5,000 year old woman is clever, but I'm many times more clever than her, and that's just because of my Butterfly Miraculous and how long I have spent in the past and in the future.
If Timefixer remains Akumatized no matter how long it takes and no matter how much time passes after we defeat Hawk Moth, Nathalie, and Lila on Heroes' Day, well, I guess we will also have to resort to more desperate measures ourselves.
Besides, people like Timefixer, they're so obsessed with keeping their jobs that they'll resort to extremes to do it.
In any case, I remembered something I once forgot about in the Revelation episode of season 5: Denis Damocles used to be an actual teacher at Francoise Dupont several years ago before the start of the show, and Caline Bustier used to be one of his students.
I guess it makes sense now: Damocles got his canon personality and parts of his non-canon personalities and behaviors from his days as a teacher, and Caline got her naïve views from not just Damocles, but also from working for too long in kindergarten schools before going to elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools without being taught how to properly intervene with bullies and other troublemakers in Francoise Dupont. Either that on the last part, or she probably got her naïve views from spending years working at Francoise Dupont while ignoring on purpose everything she was taught by the school board, by Mr. Damocles before Chloe Bourgeois and all of the children of the present day were born, and by Caline's parents about how to stop bullying and what the consequences are for sitting on the sidelines like a coward when someone is being bullied. Even before Andre Bourgeois went on to become the current Mayor of Paris.
Hmph. Well, one way or another, I'm gonna make sure that Denis and Caline get used to their new roles while doing their jobs the right way, whether they like it or not. And if they refuse to do their jobs the proper way, then I won't save them from the full penalty of the law, and I won't be attending their funerals in the future to give any speech about them in a positive light. Especially since, at that point in time, people will have already known about their true colors, and I'd rather not lie about their actions in the past and in that future before they die. My reputation would be ruined, and I would end up making myself look like a lot more of a hypocrite than what I already was today when it comes to following the Word of God and sparing criminals and supervillains of different types and categories as opposed to killing them to prevent them from harming any more people in the future.
I'm aware that I'm not an avenging angel, I'm aware that I'm not Eric Draven or any of his successors, I'm aware that I'm not the Ghost Rider, and I'm aware that I'm not any other antiheroes in comic book, movie, cartoon, manga, video game, and novel histories. And I'm also aware that it's God's right to decide who lives and who dies, but unfortunately, until I make a metamorphosis of sorts that turns me more angelic in many manners of speaking, I'm gonna hold true to what Rorschach from Watchmen once said: there is good, and there is evil, and evil must be punished. Even in the face of Armageddon, I will not compromise in this.
And along with what I said about Denis and Caline while we're on the subject, the moment that Denis and Caline are thrown in prison, I'll be sure to erase any and all records and memories and so forth regarding their private lives serving in my army as Nightbird and White Feline. I can't leave anything to chance, and I'd rather not have to be interrogated about why I chose to recruit 2 of the most incompetent educators of Francoise Dupont High School in modern Parisian history. I've never been in the mood for answering such stupid and painfully obvious questions, and I'm not about to start now.
And on another note, I found out from extensive research on this Earth and through watching Miraculous Ladybug from season 1 to season 5 in super slow motion up to 10 times per episode back on my Earth that the reason why Chloe Bourgeois hasn't suffered any punishment from Bustier or from Damocles is because it was said that Mayor Bourgeois would easily ruin and/or end the careers of any school teachers – Francoise Dupont or otherwise, and regardless of whether or not Ms. Mendeleiev steps up to fight the corruption in Francoise Dupont by herself or with help from her different kinds of limited sources – that had the audacity and guts to punish Chloe for her actions.
Jesus, give me strength and guidance.
Yeah, as much as I hate to admit it, it all makes sense why Chloe wasn't even on house arrest after the Queen Wasp episode and why she wasn't thrown in prison after Miracle Queen. Regardless of whether or not someone recorded the whole fight and allowed Ladybug to broadcast the footage of Chloe's betrayal to the point where Mayor Bourgeois would have no choice but to throw his spoilt daughter in prison to save himself from public scrutiny, even if it meant that eventually people would come clean in public about how Chloe got away with everything just because of her father's political status, and regardless of whether or not Andre choosing his reputation over his then-terrorist collaborating child would've still resulted in him being impeached and thrown in prison as well.
Now that Chloe, Ms. Bustier, Andre, and Mr. Damocles are on the side of good in this timeline though, I won't have to worry about them lapsing back into old habits, even though old habits sometimes die hard.
But all the same, I will be keeping a close eye out for them and I'll definitely be keeping an ear to their doors to find out if they truly have redeemed themselves and are sticking to their new paths of good. Like I said a couple of times before on similar and similarly different subjects just because of my own paranoia, I can't take any chances.
Nevertheless, I intend to make sure that in this timeline and many others similar to this one in all of the good ways, the people who were motherf****** and villains considered irredeemable in and out of the public light before being taken into the light of good will be remembered for the people they used to be and the people they became after having Heel Realizations and Jerkass Realizations of various types and magnitudes.
After all, helping people redeem themselves through various means – inside and outside of using those like Ghost Punisher, the Ghost Rider, etc., as well as inside and outside of preaching to them about the Word of God on the subject of redemption – is part of one of the many things to make heroes of the past legendary and well-liked and loved by all even after they retire and/or even after they die.
But of course, that's just because of the fact that some heroes would want people everywhere to know of their beginnings and their flaws over the years of their careers in the event that their identities are exposed after they retire and after they die of old age. With the half inclusion and half exclusion of the original Iron Man himself, Anthony Stark.
Besides, like the Beast Wars Dinobot once said seconds before his frame went offline in the Code of Hero episode where he had to save the protohuman valley from Beast Megatron, and I quote-unquote, "Tell my tale to those who ask. Tell it truly, the ill deeds along with the good and let me be judged accordingly. The rest is silence."
And, now that I think about it, I intend to have the people of the multiverse tell my story accordingly to those who ask, explaining my crimes along with my heroics, and to judge me according to the Law of Paris, the Law of China, the Law of New York, the Law of England, and so on and so forth. That is, in the event I die permanently without moving onto Heaven or being resurrected on Judgement Day.
Yeah, I'll admit, I'm as much of a murderous, time-altering anti-hero and anti-villain as much as I'm an actual hero. But that doesn't change the fact that, in this day and age, depending on how old you are and depending on how far away the rest of the signs depicting the end of days in the 21st century really are, it's never too late to do the right thing, even if there's some elements of holiness and heroism that you and I don't like. And even if nobody decides to forgive and forget years down the line.
But anyway, now that I got time to kill before Anarka becomes Captain Hardrock, I'm going to admit to something I should've informed you readers and viewers about when it comes to the subject of how Anarka becomes Akumatized.
It turns out that it's not just because of Lieutenant Raincomprix going to extremes to do his job – whether or not he's arrogant to realize he's going about his job the wrong way – but it's also because of Anarka choosing to pridefully and all in the manner of an actual pirate challenge Lieutenant Raincomprix's authority without having someone like Gotham Marinette/Lady Noire revealing to Lieutenant Raincomprix the flaws in him ticketing Anarka for going over the limit of the sound decibels and revealing to him that the moment he chooses to continue going further off the deep end with his job, he's gonna wind up fired and arrested much faster than he can try to tase any one of his fellow officers or any of the heroes if they try to bring him in.
Yeah, I definitely think we could easily be looking at a Zagtoons replica of Yuriko Watanabe as The Wraith if that's the case and if what I previously said about Roger several journal entries ago are any indication.
But whatever the case, I intend to make sure that Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix and Captain Anarka Couffaine know their places in this city, while making sure that my Ladybug clones are on standby just in case I'm unable to become myself and purify the Akuma butterflies in time.
And of course, as I recollect, whenever a specific Akumatized villain debut is averted, whenever a specific Akumatized villain is taken out before he or she can cause any form of harm, and whenever a specific Akumatized villain is taken out the somewhat chronological way, another takes their place sooner or later.
So therefore, as long as I use my precognition superpower before Captain Hardrock is defeated, I'll instantaneously inform my allies of who comes next after Anarka and before the singer Clara Nightingale as Frightningale.
For now, though, I need to get ready as my time waiting is almost finished.
Bye for now, journal.
(Third person POV...)
On the Liberty ship, Marinette is on the upper deck cleaning up the place.
Marinette accidentally bumps into Mylene and says, "Oops! Sorry, Mylene, my bad!"
Marinette picks up a box and says to Rose while handing her a microphone, "I think this is your microphone, Rose."
Rose replies before asking and before saying, "Thank you, Marinette! Do you realize it? It's our very first concert! It's going to be incredible."
Marinette then muses, "Hmm. He must be running late due to his piano practice."
Alya replies, "No worries, girl. The whole thing hasn't even begun just yet."
Marinette nods before making sure that no one is looking to think to herself, "Hmm. Even despite using our clones, Adrien still has to find ways to make his father think he's excelling in his extracurriculars to throw Gabriel further off his trail. This just keeps getting more and more complicated."
Alya then asks, "Nino, did you hear from Adrien at all?"
Nino answers, "He said he had something to do with his old man. Adrien said he'll come right afterwards."
Marinette thinks to herself, "I seriously doubt it."
Just then, Anarka Couffaine comes up and says, "Captain Anarka speaking to ya'll! So, how's it comin' along, me dear pirate mates? Ready to celebrate the music festival?"
There was a chorus of everyone saying a yes "Arrr!" like an actual pirate does.
From his hiding spot across the boat on the riverbank, Miguel face palmed as he mutters, "I don't even know why I try."
On the boat, Anarka adjusts her glasses as she asks Marinette, "Whatcha up to there, matey?"
Marinette replies confidently, "Well, me dear Captain, I'm cleaning up for tonight! Your boat's gonna be as clean as a whistle for multiple logical reasons."
Anarka questions, "And what might these so-called logical reasons be, matey?"
Marinette counts them down as she explains to Anarka, "Reason 1, dust, mold, and pet sheddings that collect in messy homes are horrid for guests with animal and dust allergies, as well as some moderate to severe cases of asthma."
Anarka gawks in horror while everyone gathers around.
Marinette continues, "Reason 2, a messy home means that a resident might be constantly late for work. Especially if they have multiple clothes scattered across the floors of their homes and they constantly trip while looking for something cleaner to wear for work, and especially if there's a blockade of clothes blocking the way to the entrance/exit door of their homes."
Meanwhile, in Adrien's bedroom, Adrien is playing his piano.
And all the while, Gabriel is watching with a cold, calculating gaze.
After maybe 3 to 9 minutes, Adrien finishes playing his piano without messing up.
Adrien then asks emotionlessly, "So, did I miss anything or did I mess anything up?"
Gabriel's eyes slightly widened at the emotionless tone coming from Adrien before answering with slight hesitation, "W-well, uh, to be honest, I-I don't think you messed anything up whatsoever. You're welcome to join your friends at the Liberty ship."
Adrien smiles as he nods before changing to become more presentable.
Adrien remembers that the last time Gabriel asked him about that particular subject, Adrien had answered that he was getting tired of having to wear the same thing every day without putting any of his other clothes to good use. And besides, regardless of whether or not Gabriel had the money to buy or design new clothes, Adrien didn't want to think about what he'd have to go through to design himself new clothes if he can't put his current wardrobe to good use first.
Gabriel then says, "Oh, and Adrien? I intend to come over later to see you perform in the concert."
Adrien replies, 'Well, the support is greatly appreciated, Dad."
Nathalie and Gustav take Adrien to the car.
As Adrien is taken into the car, he calls Nino.
At the Seine, Marinette finishes her explanation, "And final reason: for children at the ages of 3 years or slightly older, messiness promotes laziness, an unhealthy lifestyle, and drives away people that the children and their parents are associated with."
Anarka remarks, "Hmm. Perhaps this old pirate captain can learn a thing or two from a young matey like yourself."
As Marinette continues cleaning, Nino's smartphone suddenly rings.
Nino picks up and says, "Yeah, wassup, dude?... Wow, really?... Whoa, now, that's what I call good news. Well, see you soon, dude."
Marinette remarks, "Well, I guess that'll teach me to have faith in the works of people like Steel Butterfly or God Himself."
Alya remarks as she puts a piece of metal next to the compass of the ship, "Well, it's pretty much one of the many first times his dad's approved of him hanging out with us. As a matter of fact, I think Gabriel's slowly leaning towards the light."
Anarka calls out while demonstrating what happens when metal is next to a compass, "Whoa-ho, sailor! Never place a metal object next to a compass, ya hear, lass? Metal attracts the needle, just like a magnet, which is why you absolutely can't put them anywhere near each other."
Marinette states, "Thank ye, Captain. Now, I'll just find somewhere for this statue that's not easily like a compass or a magnet."
Marinette manages to do so by finding the metal trophy room and placing the statue inside it as carefully as possible.
Juleka and Rose appear in the stairway.
Rose states, "We're ready, Captain, but Luka is missing."
Anarka then asks, "Marinette, right?"
Marinette answers, "Yes, Captain?"
Anarka asks, "Since you're free from your cleaning duties, could you please go and tell Luka that we're waiting for him so we can start rehearsals?"
Marinette replies, "Aye-aye, Captain!"
Marinette heads to Luka's room, following Steel Butterfly's instructions of the Liberty's layout.
Marinette sees Luka and says while keeping her composure before asking, "Ah. Hello. You must be Luka, right?"
Luka replies before questioning, "Yes. Who might you be, by any chance?"
Marinette answers, "I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I'm a classmate of your sister, Juleka."
Luka remarks, "I heard about you. Juleka's heart song sings many praises about you."
Marinette inquires coyly, "And that's because you understand people's souls and harmonies through music rather than words and actions, correct?"
Luka's eyes widened as he answers before asking, "I-yes, that is correct. How'd you know?"
Marinette replies, "Well, ever since Picture Day at school, Juleka's become more outspoken to the point where she told us about you whenever one of us asked."
Luka remarks, "Ah. I see."
Marinette then explains, "Anyway, the captain sent me down here to fetch you. Everyone's waiting for you so we can start rehearsals."
Luka replies while getting up, "Well then, let's go."
Marinette and Luka go to the surface deck.
On a televised TVI news report, Nadia Chamack says to the audience, "For this year's National Music Festival, Paris' city hall has organized a quantity of free concerts starring big stars in some overall prestigious locales! We're joined by our honorable Mayor, Andre Bourgeois. Mayor Bourgeois, if you will, please tell us about the line-up!"
Mayor Bourgeois answers, "Well, XY will be performing at the Place de la Concord, Clara Nightingale at the Louvre, The Philharmonic Orchestra outside City Hall, and the legendary Jagged Stone at the Eiffel Tower! And let's all not forget about the many concerts and gigs given by the people of Paris all across the city!"
Nadia remarks, "This is most likely about to become the most awesome music festival since the first one was held, right here in Paris, way back in 1982! I'm Nadia Chamack. Tune in here, to hear more tunes."
Back on the Seine riverbank, Miguel remarks as he runs to the underpass of a nearby bridge, "Well, it definitely looks like I'll have to make Captain Goldheart raise the mizzenmast and hoist the sails of her own battleship. Nevertheless, I'm ready."
Miguel calls out as he enters his thorough hiding space while making sure to manipulate the cameras into turning off, "Leppey, Elegant Wings Live!"
Miguel turns into Steel Butterfly.
Steel Butterfly then opens his intercom on his cane and asks, "Captain Goldheart, are you ready?"
Alethea Villanueva, also known as Captain Goldheart, replies over the commlink, "Aye-aye, General! I be ready for ye orders!"
Steel Butterfly states, "Excellent, but remember to wait for my signal. Understood?"
Captain Goldheart replies again, "Aye-aye, chief, I be waiting for yer signal! Over and out!"
Steel Butterfly hangs up.
Meanwhile, Adrien arrives at the Liberty in the car.
Nathalie says while unexpectedly hugging Adrien, "Adrien? Take care out there. I mean it as your stepmother in all but name."
Adrien replies as he hugs her back, "I will, Nathalie. I guarantee it."
Adrien breaks the hug and carefully exits the car before making his way to the Liberty.
Anarka questions, "And who might this laddie be?"
Adrien answers, "I be Adrien Agreste, Marinette's partner and lover."
Anarka remarks, "Ah! Romance between two sailors. Oh, makes me think of me younger days."
Marinette comes up to Adrien, and they share a passionate hugging kiss.
Anarka then says after a minute or two, "Ho, ho, sailors! Let's give 'em a show! Whenever yer ready, Luka!"
As Luka gets ready, Mylene says to Alya, Adrien, and Marinette while handing them earplugs, "Believe me, you three, you're gonna need these."
The threesome puts on their earplugs.
Luka shreds his guitar and the instrument makes a very loud noise that was powerful enough to to send cars on the streets flying.
Alya, Marinette, Nino, and Adrien gawk at how loud it was.
Suddenly, police boats, police squad cars, and police helicopters rush over to the houseboat.
Lieutenant Raincomprix comes out of one of the cars.
He shouts among the sirens into a bullhorn speaker, "Mrs. Couffaine, are you completely out of your mind?! I'm reading 160 decibels! That's 10 times the sound of a jet engine! You just can't do this! You'll have to play something else!"
As Dragon Butterfly descends slowly in his dragon mode, Anarka shouts back over her ship's own speakers, "It's the National Music Festival today, Officer Raincomprix! My crew's allowed to play whatever they want!"
Dragon Butterfly hovers above everyone, as evidenced by his large shadow covering the area and the people, and he lets out a mighty, "RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Everyone covered their ears at the intensity of Dragon Butterfly's dragon roar.
Dragon Butterfly transforms to his human form clad in his armored battle suit and says, "Raincomprix! Haven't you done your research on the decibels?! No! So let me tell it to you straight: (He pulls out a document.) According to paragraph 4 section 21 of this clause about noise on ships, which I assure you is genuine, large ships that include houseboats are exceptions to the noise rule. The ships simply can't be any louder than the equivalent of an engine from an airplane or a military jet. If you continue abusing your power as a police officer along with everything else your friends and family have been telling me, I'll personally see to it that you get fired and thrown in one of the most infamous maximum security prisons of the world: Alcatraz Prison!"
Everyone gasped loudly at that.
Steel Butterfly then says, "And to show you that I'm serious, I had this entire discussion recorded and live streamed to the local news stations and everyone in Paris is voting for your termination and prison sentence, surprisingly including your own daughter Sabrina."
Roger exclaims, "What?! Sabrina can't do that!"
Corvo says as she teleports next to Steel Butterfly, "Oh, I'm afraid she can. Didn't you ever hear about freedom of speech or freedom of voting in the French version?"
The Commissioner of the Parisian Police Department comes up with his personal guards and says, "Roger Raincomprix, you're fired and you're under arrest!"
Roger aims his taser pistol, but Steel Butterfly holds up a giant rocket launcher at his head and states, "Don't even think about it, f*****!"
The kids on the boat winced at Steel Butterfly's potty mouth.
Roger snarls as he gets handcuffed, "When I get out of prison, you three will be the first ones I kill!"
Steel Butterfly says in his signature demonic Ghost Rider voice, "Do you seriously want to join all of the corrupt police officers I petitioned to be executed for thousands of years of my life?!"
Everyone gasps in shock and horror at the bombshell Steel Butterfly just dropped. Well, one of them, at best.
Steel Butterfly says to his two clones of Injustice Superman and Golden Eagle Wonder Woman, "Get him out of my sight before I'm forced to unleash a Hell Firestorm."
The twosome replies, "Yes sir!" "Understood!"
The twosome forces Roger into the Commissioner's prisoner car before they fly off.
Nino asks, "Dude! Was that the Injustice Superman and the mainstream Wonder Woman in their full suits of armor?!"
Steel Butterfly replies loud enough for the kids and Anarka to hear, "Yes, but technically, what you guys saw as the Injustice Superman in his Injustice 2 suit of armor as well as Wonder Woman in her Golden Eagle Armor, they are actually clones I invented myself."
Everyone – including the leftover police officers – exclaimed in unison, "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" "What?!"
Steel Butterfly explains, "Yes, you see, I invented them as clones I drew and animated into existence while making sure to replicate their powers, their personalities, their memories, their combat training, and so forth while making sure to organically download into them loyalty programming that prohibits them from actively targeting me unless I start displaying mental instability when it comes to making a choice revolving around killing someone like Hawk Moth before he commits more serious crimes in the future or not. And at the same time, I also ensured that their respective vulnerabilities to Green Kryptonite, alien weapons, magic, anti-magic, Red Kryptonite, Blue Kryptonite, Gold Kryptonite, loud noise in the closest proximity, and the power of only ONE TRUE GOD would only be used against the twosome by heroes in the event they start to develop any dark sides of their personalities and they rise to the surface. The developments of which would be the equivalent of touching Black Kryptonite or witnessing something horrible similar to Lois Lane's death and the nuclear destruction of Metropolis in the first Injustice video game to the point where Superman would want to develop his tyrannical One World Regime."
Everyone gawks at not just the explanation, but also Steel Butterfly's details of his contingency plans for just in case his clones start to rebel or develop any of their evil personalities brought on by those like The Joker or Maxwell Lord.
But of course, unbeknownst to even Steel Butterfly despite his numerous powers, Anarka was having a hard time trying to swallow the fact that even though the police commissioner supports her, he still wants her to lower the volume decibels on her ship's instruments.
Or perhaps Steel Butterfly did know and was pretending not to notice, because Captain Goldheart was thoroughly sneaking around to the compass of the ship, ready to slice the Akuma into pieces before it makes contact with the compass.
In Hawk Moth's lair, Hawk Moth remarks, "Ah, the suppression of a soul demanding liberty and freedom. A perfect target for one of my Akumas!"
Hawk Moth turns a butterfly into an Akuma.
Hawk Moth remarks, "Fly away, my little Akuma, and Akumatize her!"
The Akuma flies off to the Couffaine houseboat.
The Akuma reaches the ship, but just as it was about to land on the compass and merge with it, Captain Goldheart decloaks and slices the Akuma in half with her knightly cutlass broadsword.
Anarka gawks at the sight of Captain Goldheart.
Anarka remarks, "An actual, real life pirate! Ahoy there!"
Captain Goldheart replies, "Ahoy there, Captain Couffaine!"
Anarka asks, "How did you know me name?"
Captain Goldheart replies, "It's simple. General Butterfly has connections all over the world, and one of him many superpowers is the ability to identify people by reading them minds and looking into their souls like an angel would."
Anarka smiles at that, but her smile turns into a frown as she questions, "Why would your general believe in angels?"
Captain Goldheart replies again, "Believe it or not, Steel Butterfly is a firm Christian and he firmly believes in punishing all forms of evil across the world, no matter how old the evildoer is, no matter if them crimes are as minor as breaking and entering, and no matter if people would approve or not. And sadly, his list of evildoers to punish included the greatest pirate criminals of the seas in the past."
Anarka shouts, "What?!"
Seeing as how everyone else was eavesdropping, Captain Goldheart explains, "Simply put, pirates in the past and in today's world are criminals in real life. They stole many treasures, murdered innocent people and honorable soldiers alike, and they robbed not just ships, but also they robbed trains chugging on bridges across the world, and they robbed warship carrying vital materials and supplies for different military units in various countries aside from just France and the United States."
Anarka was so horrified, she didn't notice as another Akuma makes contact with the compass of her ship at the same time her right hand does in an attempt to stabilize herself.
Hawk Moth remarks telepathically, "Captain Hardrock, I am Hawk Moth. Does it trouble you to know that pirates are criminals in real life? From now on, you'll be the one and only pirate capable of avenging your predecessors and assembling your own crew to assist you in plundering the seven seas. I'm giving you an indestructible ship and you'll also use it to sail around Paris and blast your music out of the speakers everywhere you go as loudly as you please to be your secondary goal. In return, you'll be bringing me the greatest of all treasures: the Ladybug Miraculous, the Black Cat Miraculous, the second Butterfly Miraculous that Steel Butterfly possesses, the Lion Miraculous, the Rhino Miraculous, the Bluebird Miraculous, the Mother Cat Miraculous, the Crow Miraculous, the Rabbit Miraculous, the Fox Miraculous, the Turtle Miraculous, and any other Miraculouses that Steel Butterfly and his allies are hiding."
Anarka/Captain Hardrock replies, "An army of treasures in exchange for freedom? Oh, ho ho, then I shall be yer pirate, Hawk Moth!"
Black and purple smoke envelops the Liberty.
As the kids watch in shock and horror, the whole thing happens in slow motion while in real time, Marinette and Adrien look at Steel Butterfly.
The Butterfly Miraculous holder uses French combat hand signals to say to Marinette and Adrien in real time, "Akumatization averting attempt has failed, get off the ship quickly, avoid the chains, avoid being seen, and get Ladybug, Cat Noir, and our forces straight to the riverbanks pronto!"
The twosome nods and they jump off the ship as quickly and as safely as possible while Steel Butterfly turns the time back to normal.
Steel Butterfly jumps off the ship and takes flight above it to keep a hawk's eye view on the ship in case his allies need reinforcements.
Captain Hardrock remarks, "Raise the mainsail, me deck hands, and let's get swashbuckling around here! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
Captain Goldheart starts strangling Captain Hardrock with chains, and even though Hardrock was struggling, Goldheart proved once and for all that Tenshized champions are stronger than Akumatized villains.
As soon as Captain Hardrock was about to pass out, she threw Captain Goldheart to the side of the ship's plank.
But as Captain Hardrock was recovering, she had to dodge out of the way because Captain Goldheart had tried to incapacitate her opponent with Adamantium balled chains.
Captain Hardrock demands out of breath, "Is that... all... you've got?!"
Captain Goldheart replies, "Arr! No, it's not all I've got!"
Ladybug and Cat Noir along with the reinforcements Steel Butterfly requested arrive from the air.
Captain Hardrock exclaims, "What?! Flying officers?! No fair!"
Ladybug brings out her sword and starts using her Akumakung-Fu sword skills on Captain Hardrock while saying and while managing to disarm and overpower Captain Hardrock, "Swarm of Swords! Next to the iron clay of dead pirate skeletons!"
Captain Hardrock is thrown onto the plank before she does a kip up and clashes blades with Ladybug.
But Ladybug manages to break Captain Hardrock's sword, and she starts tying up the pirate.
Steel Butterfly uses combat hand signals to say, "Make your yoyo force Captain Hardrock to spin hard enough to make her dizzy."
Ladybug does so, and as Captain Hardrock starts spinning like a top, Steel Butterfly remarks, "Around and around and around she goes! Where she stops, nobody knows!"
Captain Hardrock instantly stops and she starts puking into the sea.
Steel Butterfly looks away in disgust, complete with him making the motion of covering his eyes from inside the visor.
Captain Hardrock instantly orders, "Liberty, seize these scallywags and throw them down into the cargo hold!"
Chains deploy, but Steel Butterfly and all other heroes with swords slice the chains to pieces.
Steel Butterfly then executes his own Mirakung-Fu moves on Captain Hardrock, and some of the moves prove to be enough to get her on the ropes.
At the end of the rest of the battle which happened to be an off-screen battle, Captain Hardrock is thrown into the compass of her ship hard, cracking it hard enough to release the Akuma.
Steel Butterfly asks, "Ladybug, will you do the honors?"
Ladybug nods and captures the Akuma before unleashing her Miraculous Ladybug to fix the damage that the fight had wrought.
Steel Butterfly says to Captain Goldheart, "Thanks for your services, matey."
Captain Goldheart replies, "Arr! At your service, General!"
Ladybug says to the band as Anarka begins to get her bearings back, "Enjoy your concert, guys."
The heroes fly away and Captain Goldheart sets sail on her own pirate ship.
In Hawk Moth's lair, Hawk Moth remarks, "For the sake of Neptune! Captain Hardrock failed no thanks to your new Kung-Fu skills, but one of these days, your treasure will be mine! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!"
The window closes.
In the Palais de Justice Courthouse, former Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix was fired and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Roger kept screaming that he would get his revenge and that he would be back in his old job, one way or another.
And after Steel Butterfly has averted Roger getting Akumatized into Rogercop again multiple times, it was decided that he would be sent to Alcatraz Prison.
None of Roger's family or friends would ever visit, not even Sabrina.
At the Music Festival on the Liberty, Rose says to everyone in the audience, "Evening, everyone! Our band is called Kitty Section! (She turns to the band.) Ready? One, two, three!"
The band starts playing.
Rose starts singing in a deeper voice, "#I love unicorns, I love unicorns, and cute little fluffy cats!#"
As the concert continues in the background, we transition to Steel Butterfly's lair, where he's writing in his journal.
(Steel Butterfly's voiceover POV as he writes in his Rorschach-inspired journal...)
Steel Butterfly's journal.
August 11th, 2015.
Second journal entry tonight.
Captain Hardrock has been successfully defeated.
And Roger Raincomprix is now being shipped to Alcatraz Prison after his trial.
Now, I hoped it wouldn't come down to this, but Roger forced my hand.
I'm not quite sure that his daughter Sabrina is ever gonna forgive me for costing her father his job and having him sent to prison. And I don't know if she should.
But I can't dwell on it now.
Now, the next Akumatized villain to avert if possible is Clara Nightingale, also known as Frightningale, a singing supervillain whose microphone whip forces anyone hit by it to rhyme, sing, or dance if they don't want to be turned into magenta pink statues.
Yeah, that one was tough for Ladybug and Cat Noir, I'm not gonna lie.
And one version of Frightningale came to be partially because of Chloe taking too long to convince her father to pull the plug on Clara's show and partially because of Marinette and Adrien's identities being exposed to the entire world before their temporary successors defeated Hawk Moth and Mayura.
Yeah, that one was a bit disastrous in itself due to the rest of the timeline being discontinued, including the Miraculous World Special Episodes and the Order of the Guardians being revived.
But nevertheless, if I play my cards right, I can ensure that Clara doesn't get Akumatized and I can ensure that Marinette and Adrien's identities as well as my own and our teammates' identities never get revealed under any circumstances.
For now, I'm in need of a long sleep. Today's fight against Captain Hardrock took it out of me once I transformed back from my armor to my disguise.
The End.
(Author's notes: In the next chapter, we shall see how Clara Nightingale's Akumatization into Frightningale becomes averted.
See you all in chapter 46: Frightningale Averted.)