"Claws out" the order came out as soon as he was outside the prison. He had no time to lose. First thing was finding Ladybug. Just one problem: he could only communicate with her through his baton and her yoyo. Please let her be in her suit. Please, please, please.

"Hey kitty." God he'd never been so happy to her voice. Not. Once.

"Ladybug I need help! This is a huge mess and I have no idea what to do. Everyone is betraying everyone, and I don't know where I'm at. I should've talked to you sooner, but I wanted to protect my father. I thought he'd get better, that he'd be more stable but as soon as I mentioned her he freaked out and the sparkle came back to his eyes. And then she came into the picture and for a split second I had hoped that that would fix everything, but it got worse and now… now… help. Please!"

By the time he was done he was crying and breathing faster than he ever had before. Saying it out loud was like stabbing himself over and over (and yes, he knew what a stab felt like). It became real. Too real for comfort. Panic was just overwhelming because the pain was even worse. His family was falling to pieces and he had to break it even more to protect Paris. What did he ever do to deserve this? He had tried to help people, too stay as good as one can be with a life like his. Guess the thought isn't always what counts.

Suddenly two arms wrapped around him, pulling him to a safer place and quieter place. He didn't resist. Not because pf the familiar perfume or the recognizable feeling of his partner's arms around him. he didn't struggle because if he tried to do something everything would get worse.

"Chat ! Chat!" distant calls, non-important words. He just wanted to be at home, his real home back at Languelle with Lucas and Paul. He wanted to go to the valley where he first took a picture with a real camera and run and twirl like he used to do every Sunday. He wanted to be a child. He wanted his family back. He wanted the past. Or anything really as long as it made him feel sae an wanted.

Someone was tugging on his arm with too much strength and calling him. Yet it seemed distant, like he was underwater. Maybe he was….

Suddenly his face stung and the pain brought him back to reality so fast it made him dizzy. Ladybug was there, telling him to breathe. It would be much easier if something wasn't crushing his chest. He looked down to see it completely free. This was just his mind playing tricks on him. He could make this stop. It's was just like what mom used to say…

The sobbing got worse and he clung to his partner with every ounce of strength he had. It was the hug of a desperate men. Love and pain dominated the gesture in equal parts. Ladybug didn't know what to do. Chat had always been the stronger of the two of them, the one who never gave up, who always had hope, who was always sure of himself. She didn't know how to help him now that she had to take that role.

"Chat please look at me." He did. Now what? "Look I know you're scared and hurt but if there is a problem we have to fix it. Then we can lament ourselves." Way to go Marinette, you just depreciated his feelings. Why was this so hard as Ladybug? Why did the mask change her so much? She just had to apologize, right?

"You're right. There are people who deserve the help. That's what matters. I… This can wait." He answered, and all wooziness was gone from his voice. The determination that replaced it become outright terrifying. Marinette didn't like this at all.

"Chat… I shouldn't have…" she started lamely, and she almost felt like her civilian self again.

"No. I need to get my priorities straight. I can't get involved on a personal level or I'll be useless. Now, what do we do?" the steel in his voice scared her a little. This just wasn't him. something was horribly wrong, and she'd be damned if she didn't help him.

"Um… Chat? You weren't really clear over the phone. I don't really know what is going on… But I'm going to help. That's what friends are for." she said, wishing she could spare him the pain of talking about this again.

"Friends! That's it. Friends help others. I just need to find people I can trust with anything and give them the miraculous, so they are not concentrated in one place and others can help. That's brilliant! But who…?" he wondered out loud. Some of his spontaneity was back which was good, but she had no idea what was going on.

"Wait! Give them the miraculous? You have other miraculous? But Master Fu lost them!" she countered. The old man and she had been tracking them for months. Why did Chat have them?

"Look I'd ask who Fu is, but I don't really have time to waste. They could be here any moment they said they would show up soon to kill us. If we don't act quickly than everyone is in more danger. If the lupav get their hands on the miraculous they'll probably create havoc. No one is after that kind of thing just because they want to destroy them. Power is always tempting. Too tempting. I have to make sure they can do more harm. Problem is who I can trust?" he rambled.

Well now she had a little more information, but the problem still escaped her. What was going on? How could she help?

"Okay… Ladybug I need you to give this to the person you trust the most on the world. They have to be fearless and want to help people. We don't have time for hesitation. I'll find an owner for the others." He said as he took put the fox miraculous. He really had them.

"Chat how did you get this?" she asked hating herself for the touch of untruthfulness in her voice.

"Ladybug do you trust me?" she nodded wordlessly. "Then trust when I tell you that I mean no harm and I didn't steal them. I'll explain but now we have to act. Please"

A glace. That is all it took to reassure her that he wasn't lying, that she could trust him with anything. He was her best friend and partner. She wouldn't doubt him. Not again. A small affirmation and he left. She had to figure out who to give the miraculous to….

Someone she could trust.

Someone fearless.

Someone with a heart made of gold.

Someone who would accept to help and trust.

Alya!

Of course, she could count on her. For God's sake she even thought on giving her the ladybug miraculous when she first got it. The choice was obvious. She ran to her best friend's house as fast as she could. Maybe she didn't know the problem, but she knew it was urgent.

She tapped the blogger's window repeatedly until the teenager came and open it. Her jaw dropped. It was time for the truth. If she was getting Alya into this mess she deserved so much.

"Tikky, spots off" she said entering the room. A familiar light enveloped her and suddenly she was only Marinette. Questions followed but she didn't pay much attention. She had her trust. That had to be enough.

"Alya! Look I know this is weird and you have a ton of questions and I owe you a huge apology but right now I need help. Well, Chat does. Please?" she begged in desperation. With every passing second, her partner could become more anxious and make more bold choices without thinking them through.

"Sure anything! I'm always here!" Marinette's heart warmed up. Love and trust could do so much. Wordlessly she put the miraculous in her hand and waited for the kwami to appear. Sure enough, Vixie came out and smiled at Alya.

"What the?" exclaimed the brunette.

"Hello Alya! I am Vixie, your kwami." Explained the little fox like creature.

"My kwami?"

"Yes, we are small gods that give a human the power to transform into a hero. I'm here to help you become Volpina!" the kwami was cheerful but judging by how she grabbed her tail she was also pretty nervous. It was cute.

"Volpina wasn't an akuma victim?" Alya was weary now.

"That was just an imitation. She didn't even have the right powers! I can't make you fly or give you super strength. All I can do is create illusions and multiply." She ever knew kwamis could be embarrassed of their powers. It wasn't fair. Vixie's powers were amazing.

"I'm sure that's great!" said Alya.

"Yeah! Look I don't want to be the unsensitive here, but we really need to get moving. Whatever is happening is bad." Her friend looked confused but nodded.

"How do I become Volpina?" Gosh what did she ever do to deserve such an amazing friend?

"You just have to say, 'Tails show'" explained the kwami. The words were repeated and soon both superheroines were on the rooftops testing's the fox miraculous holder power. She got the hang of them extremely quickly. Which was good. And then it was necessary.

The Agreste mansion had just exploded.