AN: So a friend introduced me to Miraculous Ladybug and I got hooked. I love reading this crossover, but each time I did I kept thing "Hey, what would happen if Danny got akumatized?" and that's how this story came to be.
This story takes place after Reign Storm for DP and Volpina for Miraculous Ladybug.
But I am a Hero
Danny sighed sadly as he flew through the night sky, his gloomy mood preventing him from fully appreciating the site of Paris lite up below him. Sam's parents had decided to drag her to Paris for a two-week vacation. Sam, refusing to be stuck alone with her parents for two weeks, had invited Danny and Tucker to come along. The two had eagerly accepted and, while they hadn't been thrilled about it, Sam's parents had allowed them to come.
The first few days had been normal for the three friends and they finally had a chance to relax. Then an akuma victim had attacked and Danny, being the hero he was, had gone to help out. Though he did assist the local heroes in defeating the villain, the citizens of Paris ad been less than welcome to him. Apparently, a fake superhero had recently tried to win over the heroes trust to betray them and the people suspected Danny of doing the same. Chat Noir was openly suspicious of Danny and had been very reluctant to allow Danny to help. Ladybug had been polite, but Danny could tell she was just as suspicious as Chat Noir.
Danny tried to avoid the next few akuma attacks but ended up getting dragged in any way to help. And despite his continued assistance with no sign of betrayal, Danny only seemed to be treated worst by the citizens each time. Chat Noir and Ladybug had seemed torn on how to react and ended up doing nothing at all.
Sam and Tucker tried to assure Danny that it didn't matter and Danny was still a hero no matter what the people thought, but Danny was so tired of being rejected for trying to do the right thing. It seemed that no matter where he went, ordinary people would never accept hm. Even back in Amity, where people had finally started to accept him after he defeated the ghost king, Danny knew they would probably turn on him in an instant the moment he messed up.
Danny sighed and land quietly on the Eiffel tower, staring out into the distance without really seeing anything. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the little black butterfly land on his thermos and get absorbed into it.
Danny jolted when he felt something foreign enter his mind. He tried to fight it off, but he was losing ground. Instead of a normal battle of wills that comes with overshadowing, this presence seemed to seep into Danny's mind. It's dark presence twisting Danny's thoughts the further it went in. To Danny's horror, it reminded him of Freakshow's staff.
"Hello Spector," a deep voice echoed through Danny's head as a purple butterfly outline appeared around Danny's face. "I am Hawkmoth and I understand your pain."
"I don't believe you," Danny growled back, gripping his hair as he attempted to fight off the invader. "Get out of my head!"
"But aren't you tired of people looking down on you?" Hawkmoth continued smoothly. "You try so hard to help, but those you save hate you. Even other so called heroes despise you for what you do. Everyone believes you are a villain and let's show them how wrong they are. I can help you get back at all who have rejected you. To punish all those who refused to accept you as a hero. All I ask of you is to get me Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous."
"But I am a hero," Danny insisted weakly, slowly losing resistance aginst the tempting words.
"Of course you are, but now you can prove it to everyone else. If you show them how powerful you are, they'll finally realize how much of a hero you've always been."
Danny knew deep down that it wasn't right, but he could no longer think clearly. The last of his will power seemed to slip from him and he straightens up as deep shadows appeared around his eyes. With a malicious smirk, Danny said, "Very well Hawkmoth. I'll show them. They'll finally understand what it's like to be rejected for what you are."
A sinister black substance spread across Danny's body and when it vanished, Danny's body had changed. The black suit was now white, the silver portions of his suit became a sinister glowing red, the DP symbol had changed to an S and a tattered white cloak appeared around his shoulders. His skin had become gray and the hood of the cloak cast his face in shadow though his red eyes could easily be seen.
"Time to show them what I can really do!" Danny smirked. With a chilling laugh, Danny took off into the night.
(Line Break)
Marinette was in her room, attempting to put the finishing touches on her latest design but her heart wasn't really into it. Her mind instead kept going back to the strange boy that had been appearing to help them during the last few ackuma attacks. When she had first seemed him, she had thought he had been an akuma himself with his strange appearance but that was impossible as there was already currently an akuma. But she still hadn't trusted him even as he helped them, worried that he was another Volpina. But her stance wavered the more he appeared to help them and seeing how hurt he was by the crowd's reactions to him.
Then today Ayla showed her some news articles on him that she had found. There was a lot of debate whether he was a hero or a villain, but most of the evidence seemed to point to him being a hero. Mariette felt guilty about how she had treated this Phantom character, but she was unsure what to do.
"I guess I judged him too harshly," Mariette sighed, leaning back in her chair.
"Who do you mean Marinette?" Tikki questioned, floating over to her chosen.
"The boy that's been trying to help us," Mariette replied. "I was so sure he was like Volpina, but it seems like he's been a real hero all along and I've never even really given him a chance or defended him when others were insulting him."
"There is nothing wrong with being cautious," Tikki counseled. "And spirits are known to be tricky, but I know you can make it up to him next time you see him."
"If I seem him again…" Marinette commented before she realized what Tikki said. "Wait do you mean he's really…"
Marinette cut off as she heard screams coming from outside.
"Tikki, Spots On!" Marinette shouted, letting the familiar transformation into Ladybug take over. Without hesitation, Ladybug threw her yo-yo and began swinging through the streets. Finding the akumatized victim wasn't hard, for they had left a very clear trail of destruction and crying civilians in their wake. Thankfully none of the civilians seemed critically injured, but they all were distressed and talking to some horror that only they could see and hear. With renewed determination, Ladybug swung even faster. She soon landed on a rooftop behind where the villain was floating in the air. She could only make out a white cloak and green blasts raining from the villain's hands onto the streets below. She would have to get closer to figure out where the akuma was hiding.
"What a purr-fect night to be out with you My Lady," Chat Noir greeted as he landed gracefully beside. "Un-fur-tuantly we seem to have a party crasher. Any ideas how to stop him?"
"Not yet," Ladybug replied. "But it seems like he makes is victims feel rejected by everyone. I need to get a closer look first to find the akuma."
"Then why don't we knock him down a few notches," Chat noir grinned, pulling out his baton. "If you would My Lady..."
Ladybug rolled her eyes but began spinning her yo-yo. Once she had gained enough momentum, she launched the yo-yo at the floating villain and managed to snag his foot. She immediately tried to whip him towards the ground, but he somehow managed to escape the yo-yo's grasp before he hit the ground. The heroes' now had the villain's attention and he turned towards them, glaring at them with red eyes.
"It's about time you got here. I can't believe you two are considered such great heroes but are so slow," The villain mocked, lowering his hood so the heroes knew exactly who they were dealing with. "Like what you see? It's your fault I'm like this now."
"Well maybe if you didn't try and interfere where you weren't needed," Chat Noir retorted, dropping into a fighting stance. "That was all you."
"Please Phantom," Ladybug pleaded, wincing slightly at Chat's harsh words but also getting into a fighting stance. "You don't have to do this. There is still time to make everything right. You can still be a hero."
"It's Spector now and I'm done trying to be the hero," Spector growled, green energy building in his hands. "I've tried for so long but all you and everyone else have done is despise me for it. I've been treated like a villain for so long… and now… Now it's time to show them what a real villain can do!"
Spector launched a powerful blast at Ladybug and Chat Noir that they were barely able to dodge. Ladybug launched her yo-yo at Spector but it went right through him. He began firing at Ladybug and Chat Noir used the opportunity to through his baton at the ghost. Spector was not expecting it and got hit in the back, knocking him down a little toward the street. Ladybug took advantage of his momentary distraction and managed to snag him with her yo-yo. Before he had the chance to go intangible, Ladybug managed to slam him into the street.
Ladybug and Chat Noir both landed on the street as Spector rose to his feet, unscathed and looking furious. Before Spector could fire another blast, a glowing butterfly outline briefly appeared on his face.
"You two have it so easy, the city accepted you immediately and loves you, no one questions your motives, and no one blames you for property damage because you have magic sparkles that put everything back together. You don't know what t's really like. You don't deserve to be heroes," Spector shouted, holding out his hand in a demanding gesture. "Give me your miraculous and see how the rest of us live."
"We'll never give you our miraculous," Ladybug replied firmly.
"So you might as well give up now," Chat Noir added. "Because you don't stand a ghost of a chance against us."
"We'll see," Spector smirked, firing a small blast from his hands. Chat Noir deflected it with his Baton while Ladybug launched her yo-yo. He surprised them by sinking into the ground. Cautiously, the two moved forward, looking everywhere for where he might appear. Spector came up under Chat Noir and punched hard enough to send him flying into a car.
"Chat!" Ladybug yelled in worry as she haphazardly threw her yo-yo at Spector. Unfortunately for her, Spector managed to catch the yo-yo and whipped her into the side of a building. Dazed, Ladybug could hear Spector charging a blast, but she was unable to defend herself.
"Danny stop!"
"Don't do it, dude!"
The two voices startled both Spector and Ladybug and caused him to miss by mere inches. When Ladybug was finally steady enough to get up, she was surprised to see two teenagers, a goth girl and a dark-skinned boy, standing protectively in front of her with their arms spread wide.
"Get out of here," Ladybug ordered. "It isn't safe!"
The two teens ignored her and instead the girl addressed Spector, "Danny please snap out of it. You're better than this. You're stronger than this! This isn't the real you!"
"I know that Sam," Spector said softly. For a heartbeat, Ladybug was hopeful that the girl had gotten through to him, but then his expression turned viscous. "That's the point! If I show them all what I'm like as a villain they'll finally realize I was a hero all along! So step aside Sam and let me take Ladybug's miraculous!"
"I can't let you do that Danny," Sam replied, sadly but firmly.
"If you want to get to her you have to go through us," the boy added confidently, though he was clearly shaking from fear."
Spector faltered and looked unsure of what to do, but then the purple mask appeared again.
"Very well," Spector replied coldly and he charged a blast. Before he could fire, though, Chat Noir snuck up from behind and struck him with his baton. The two began engaging in hand to hand combat with each other, giving Ladybug time to deal with the teens.
"You seem to know him pretty well," Ladybug said, gesturing to Spector. "Do you know any object he carries that the akuma could be hiding in?"
The two glanced at each other before Sam replied, "My guess would be the thermos. He usually carries it on his belt."
Ladybug glanced over at Spector and was able to catch a glimpse of it under his clock when he blocked an attack from Chat Noir.
"Thank you," Ladybug said, getting her yo-yo ready. It's time to end this. Lucky Charm!"
A bright light swirled around her yo-yo before a poka-dotted object landed in her hands. It was a slingshot. Ladybug looked at it in confusion before looking around for ideas. Soon, she had a plan.
"I need to borrow this," Ladybug said, taking the hat from the boy before he even had a chance to respond. Balling it up a little, Ladybug loaded it into the slingshot and took careful aim at Spector. Just when Spector had knocked Chat Noir back and was about to fire a blast, Ladybug fired her slingshot. The hat unfolded as it flew through the air and hit Spector right in the face. The sudden object and temporary blindness that came with it surprised Spector and caused him to lose focus and stumble.
"Chat! The Thermos!' Lady shouted, pointing to said object.
"On it! Cataclysm!" Chat Noir shouted, knowing what he had to do. As the dark energy swirled around his hand, Chat Noir raced forward just as Spector began to recover.
"NO!" Spector shouted once he realized what was happening, He tried to dodge out of the way, but Chat still managed to touch the thermos. It quickly began to decay and soon crumbled into dust and Spector fell to the ground weakened. A black butterfly soon escaped from the remains and began to fly away.
"No more evil doing for you little akuma," Ladybug said as she ran a finger over her yo-yo and began to swing it. "Time to de-evilize!"
Ladybug easily captured it and pressed the top of her yo-yo, revealing a pure white butterfly.
"Bye-bye little butterfly," Ladybug said as it flew away. She then threw the sling shot into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!"
The slingshot burst into thousands of sparkling ladybugs which then flew throughout the city, repairing all the damage that had been done. The black substance appeared around Spector once more, returning him to normal.
"Pound it!" Chat Noir and Ladybug cheered, fist bumping before walking over to where Phantom was with his two friends.
"Argh, my head… I hate getting mind controlled," Phantom groaned, gripping his head before he looked up at the two heroes. "I'm so sorry. I tried fighting him off but…"
"Hey it's alright," Ladybug assured with a smile. "We understand and besides, it's us that need to apologize. We didn't treat you like the hero you are even though you were only trying to help."
"Yeah, I shouldn't have been so harsh on you," Chat Noir added.
"It's alright," Phantom assured, getting up with the help of his friends. "So does this mean we're on the side now?"
"We always were, it just took us a little longer to figure it out," Ladybug replied. Just then two beeps filled the air.
"It looks like it's time for us to be like a ghost and disappear," Chat Noir smirked. "Goodbye, Phantom. See you around My Lady. "
Chat Noir vaulted onto the nearest roof and jumped out of sight.
"Feel free to help for as long as you're saying in Paris," Ladybug told Phantom, swinging her yo-yo. "I'll be sure to let the citizens of Paris know that you are on our side."
"Thanks, that really means a lot to me," Phantom replied. Ladybug bid farewell and swung onto a rooftop. As she jumped away she thought she saw a bright flash coming from where Phantom had been. She briefly considered going back to investigate, but another beep from her earring reminded her she needed to get home. She was glad she had been able to make up with Phantom and vowed not to make the same mistake again. Who knows, maybe their paths will cross again in the future.
AN: And that's that. I hope you enjoyed it! Have a Happy New Years!