Chapter 2

Marinette in her Ladybug form stood as she took a moment taking a peaceful moment. Her night after agreeing to meet up with Lil' Cricket, was abhorrently restless. The second she got home Tikki behaved strangely, she was overly anxious and paranoid. Even when she had Tikki look for information on who the little girl could be, which went nowhere unless Lil' Cricket was actually hundreds of years old. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her own nerves. Neither Cat Noir or Lil' Cricket had yet to arrive and thoughts wanting to jump to worst conclusions. 'She wants to go home.' She repeated the mantra clinging to the empathic feeling she discovered the night before.

The pleased voice Cat Noir broke her consternation "Hello M'Lady!"

With a quick movement, she turned around to see Lil' Cricket hop off his back with a victorious smile. "Were where you two?" The irritation in her voice made the duo jump.

Cat Noir fumbled for an answer before giving an apprehensive smile letting out a guilt-ridden chuckle.

Cricket gave a chirp muttered "Sorry." For what Ladybug didn't know, but that least the two seemed ashamed enough to not keep her waiting again.

Ladybug gave an exhausted sigh then gently said: "Never mind, are you ready to take us to the last place you remember."

Lil' Cricket's lips turned into a thin pale line and swayed slightly.

Cat Noir gave the smaller girl a pat on the back "It's okay we got you." He gave a soft laugh "Nothing scares us."

Cricket looked up at him "Not even Hawkmoth?"

Cat gave her a serious look and said "No way."

Squaring her shouldered Lil' Cricket perked up a little and held out a hand two each of them. Ladybug and Cat Noir took the younger girl's hands.

"Uh, Cricket?" Cat question as ghostly sparks danced across their arms.

Cricket did answer the grip tighten on their hands as she panted and shook like she had been dipped in ice. The area around them grew dark as the pale flecks of lights grow brighter the sound of vibrating filled the air.

"What's going on!" Ladybug glanced around and fell a growing wrongness seeping into the air around her and pull away.

Cricket let out a loud chirp and crossed her arms releasing Cat Noir in the process, she didn't answer and she continued to shake.

"I don't know what trick you were trying but, I think it's time we…" Ladybugs words died on her lips.

They weren't on the same rooftop as they were just standing upon. While she could clearly see all the clear landmarks that she was in Paris, but the layout of the streets and building showed that it wasn't her Paris.

The sky was dark with heavy clouds rolling above them 'danger!' A thought shuttered through her, cold wind raking across the group. Ladybug glanced at turmoil above her eye narrowing a beam of light bleeding down on to the rooftops.

"Run!" Lil' Cricket's shrike jarred Ladybug back into the immediate moment.

The light fell on the trio to soon, their shadows growing long and dark. With a shot, Cat Noir grabbed Cricket by the arm the girl giving a whimper. In a rush, the three moved down to the street inaudible alarms filling their thoughts as made their way down to the street. The light in the sky lingering on their heels like the gaze of a judgmental eye.

"Come on we need to go faster!" Cat Noir looked at Lil' Cricket as they scrambled for cover "Where did your speed go."

The child huffed and chirped through the otherwise quiet streets "It's won't help he saw us, it's too late!" She cried to him.

"No, it's not!" Ladybug turned as she found a cover walkway could hide under.

The group press against a wall allowing the cover above them shielded from the light. The beam sweep over the walkway before trailing off into the distance.

There was a collective sigh the three of them had escaped the danger that would have befallen them. "Who's 'He', where you talking about Hawkmoth?" Cat asked the little girl who gripped his and Ladybugs hand.

The only answer was a chirp from Cricket as she pulled them closer together. Her head tilted upward as if still waiting for the searchlight to pass.

Concerned Ladybug tried to see what the girl pressed between them was looking at. Preached like sleeping birds in the railing of the shade she had thought saved them cameras watched them. "Look up." She gasped turning to she dark-suited companion.

Cat Noir only took slightly longer to notice the cameras his breath picking up slightly "Let's go!" He headed to the far end of the walkway. With a stop, he reached for his weapon, mind racing as he stared at the figure standing in the opening to the street.

The Evillustrator, an Evilized classmate of his that he had beat nearly a year ago. There was something different about this The Evillustrator , brighter, less threating like more of Nathaniel shown through.

"How?" He asked readying to smack the world-altering artist out of the way. Ladybug and Lil' Cricket staring from behind him.

The Evillustrator expression didn't change staring at him coldly and mouthed 'Leave now.' Before a stone wall materialized in front of him.

Cat Noir knew that it wouldn't take much to destroy the wall before he could summon up the energy to, a metal blade cut through the fabric covering "Other way! Go!" He shouted back to over his shoulder heading back the way they came.

The trio outran the growing hole above them, Lil' Cricket regaining back some of her preternatural speed. The older heroes watched as she made it back into the open street turn back to with look at them giving shaky smile.

A golden shadow nocked into Lil' Cricket caring the girl off as her screams mixed with the shrieking alarm.

"Cricket!" Ladybug shouted taking out her yo-yo swing after the third attacker.

Cat didn't chase after his companion looked up at the fabric cover behind him. Riposte was locked in combat with a stranger dressed in bright white and dark black lining the details of feathers in their suit.

The stranger glanced at him a mask stretching like bird's wings over their face "Quickly!" A masculine voice shout down to him from painted lips "Go!" The stranger said before kicking Riposte jabbing the pointed heel of the shoe against the metal armor.

Trusting that the stranger could handle The Evilustrator and Riposte which had to be lurking somewhere nearby. Cat Noir went off to help Ladybug recuse Lil' Cricket. With his staff he propelled himself on to the roof, giving him the higher ground in the proustite.

Meanwhile, Ladybug was losing track of the kidnapper, while not supernaturally fast the stager made turns quickly enough to ever briefly lose sight of them. Her chest pounded at the thought of losing Lil' Cricket the girl had trusted her to keep her safe.

She switched tactics using her flinging herself as high as she recoiled her yo-yo and sending it down at the gold shadow.

The stranger whipped by the yo-yo released Lil' Cricket, rolling over in a shiny heap.

Cricket got to her feet with a chirp jittering as she glanced between the stranger's body and Ladybug. Slowly Ladybug approached the girl carefully as she watched the kidnapper struggled to their knees.

A tarnished golden mask barley covered handsome masculine features of the stranger. Dark hair which showed signs of at one being dyed hang just over his eye's "Your real." He rasped getting to his feet.

Ladybug pulled Lil' Cricket close as the stranger approached them. She watched his hand narrowing on his right hand were a glittering yellow cynical toy. It was paper Yo-yo a simple toy that was easy to break, yet something inside her knew it wouldn't be that simple.

The sound of Cat Noir's yell startled to the two girls. The black-suited superhero jumping down from the rooftops attempting to tackle and pin down the stranger.

Black and gold tumbled the along the street and the two males wrestled and attempting to trade blows.

"Stop!" Lil' Cricket screamed and ripped herself from Ladybug's hold. "Druid Wasp is good!" She pushed and pulled at the two males "He saved me from Hawkmoth before I got lost again." She chirped and looked at Cat Noir pitifully.

With a confused and apprehensive look, Cat Noir relented and let go of the other male.

Druid Wasp shrugged as he got to his feet looking respectively at the three. Then took Lil' Cricket by the hand and start to lead her away.

"Hey!"

Druid gave Ladybug a hard 'sh' then said: "Come, it best we do not stay out in open." He then turned to guide them through the empty streets of a dark Paris at night.

The journey was more treacherous then Ladybug could have expected. Almost every corner was stuffed with cameras as shadows enemies that had been long defeated crossed their path.

"I take it that Cricket brought you here from somewhere else?" Druid spoke up in the relative quiet of the city "You are definitely not the Ladybug and Cat Noir of this world. I know it." He looked at the duo who gave him an equally confused expression.

Ladybug had a felt that they there not in the same world as the one she calls home. It was having it confirmed by a complete stranger caught her off guard.

Before either of them could respond, a figure dropped down in front of the group. Cat instantly recognized the white-clad male that fought Riposte so he could give chase after Druid.

"About time!" Druid shouted at the pale stranger "Butterfly! You Get, Butterfly!"

The avian-like hero's jaw worked as if he was chewing something and giving Druid a thumb up with a gloved hand.

"Thank you for helping us back there." Cat Noir he held his hand up to the newcomer hoping to exchange a high-five.

The slender teen recoiled and reflexively swallowed. His painted lips pulled into a concerns frown hands folding back into the ridiculously long sleeves.

Noir narrowed eyes "What?" he asked in an offended tone.

"He doesn't speak French." Druid Wasp gave the white-suited hero a reassuring pat on the back "I'm glad your back Cricket, Weaver has gotten a migraine running intelligence and being a translator at the same time." He told the little girl softly.

"How many are left?" Lil' Cricket spoke as if guilty of something.

"Counting myself only five." He answered continuing to guide them "Hawkmoth did a raid on our last hideout, he got everyone else."

"Sorry, Druid, right?" Cat Noir spoke up looking at the tarnished gold and white hero "Like you said she's not your Ladybug and I'm not your Cat Noir. We have no clue what's going on." He decided that mentioning that he had heard the bird-like character speak French wasn't as important.

"Lil' Cricket said she was lost, now what Hawkmoth went crazy and took over Pairs?" Ladybug continued the question before Druid could take in the question.

Rubbing at the bridging of his nose Druid gave a tired sigh "Let's get together with others, it a long story." without another word she went off down the street forcing the rest of group to follow.

Ladybug's bones began to ache as she saw where they were being taken. Her school, but also not her school it was lager but still had such similar features the memories couldn't help but arise.

One by one they made there way over the chain-link fence that surrounded the building. The school courtyard was a mess of broken window glass and splintered pieces of caved in doors. There was eerie silence as the moved around the space even the chirps of Lil' Cricket where noticeably softer in the stillness.

A woman dressed in a venomous purple lunged out a shadow "About time!" She gripped Druid in a tight hug.

Cat looked at the older woman with shock, there was familiar about her. Though the distractingly tight suit and pixie cut hair still all in that blinding purple color made him draw a blank. Druid made choking noise making the woman release him, as two other figures lurked in the doorway of the school.

Druid coughed then made a smile "Ladybug, Cat Noir." He gave a triumphant gesture to the group and mess around him "Meet what might be the last Miraculous and their holders."

"Last?!" The reaction was so sudden and filled with confused terror it was impossible to tell whether Ladybug or Cat Noir had said it first.

"Hawkmoth has been gathering up the Miraculous." Druid explained in a more serious tone "At the beginning, he'd created a small team of 'heroes' and was vocal with his goals."

Cat Noir gave Ladybug a sidelong look as if wanting to say something but he remained silent.

"It was laughable." He continued "Then our Cat Noir and Ladybug disappeared, and he became a terrifying threat."

'that wasn't right?' A voice in Ladybug mind whispered and she asked: "Where did they go?"

"Who cares!" The golden clad teen snapped at her "They abandon their role! No, they've left the rest of the world to stop a problem they had almost solved!"

She flinched at Druid's words not because he directed his ire on her. It was the pain and betrayal for two people who could have stopped an oppressive power from destroying his home. She couldn't fathom what went through this world's holders of Ladybug Miraculous head to abandon Paris and, not even return know that everything is so dire.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could that Cat Noir was having a similar reaction. While his poster conveyed his shock, there was an inter anger and hatred brew in his eyes. For who she could only guess.

"Yet Cricket brought to use, you guys." Druid Wasp gave an unconvincing chuckle "We can finally defeat him." He looked around hoping to see a change in the group's expression "We got a plan all set up and now it's foolproof."

Ladybug gave a worried look and asked: "What about Lil' Cricket?" She noticed the little girl jump at being mentioned.

"She's critical to it." He smiled wide "Her chirp seems to be like a backup a battery to our Miraculous, we don't why but- "

Druid Wasp stopped as the two figures emerged from the doorway. A tall elderly man and woman with an athletic build looking worn from battle and tried of the tarnished gold hero's ramble.

"You're acquainted with Blanco, he's a bird or something." He motioned to the winged mask hero "This is Weaver the spider, she in communication with are inside men."

The bright purple woman gave a bow "Hawkmoth thinks he has their complete loyalty, yet I can tap in and converse with the people they used to be." She created a hair-thin thread between her fingers "We missed you Lil' Cricket" She told the little girl in a motherlike tone.

"These two are Thorn and Yogi." Druid motioned to the other adults "While their abilities aren't the strongest they've been the toughest fighters."

"Hello." The old man they assumed was Thorn said in a gruff accent.

"Cricket tell everyone that Ladybug and Cat Noir are going to help use fight Hawkmoth." Druid Wasp looked at Lil' Cricket in expectation.

The child chirped and looked worriedly around the courtyard. She muttered a jumble of languages; a couple scraps of word Ladybug could tell was a Chinese dialect.

"Hey listen!" Cat spoke up for the little girl "We didn't agree to help you." He pulled Lil' Cricket was from Wasp "We just want to take the kid home."

Druids jaw set as he stood up straighter "Can the three of us talk in private?" His voice told Ladybug and Cat Noir that it wasn't a question. As Druid Wasp turned to walk into the school the two looks briefly at each other. It would be easy for them to grab Lil' Cricket and run away from the craziness of this situation.

Ladybug shook her head rejecting that train of thought. Running away is what created the destruction of this reality and she wouldn't draw out anyone's suffering.

"Listen." Druids said was the duo approached, his expression stern "I get it cricket is younger than the rest of us, and she's lost." He stated, "She came to us first we tried to help her but, she disappeared."

"what do you mean?"

"Lil' Cricket isn't from this Paris or your Paris." He answered Cat Noir's question "Something about her Miraculous is off and taking her back home is impossible. If we don't understand what's wrong with it."

"What do you mean off?" Ladybug was trying to process this information. Along with taking into that the reasoner her Miraculous hadn't needed to power down might have to do with the chirping noise Lil' Cricket made.

"Miraculous tend to follow similar traits and themes." Druid elaborated "yet her abilities and lack of weapon don't line up with any Miraculous ever recorded."

She nodded remembering trying to do researcher Lil' Cricket with a hyperactive Tikki.

"Because of that we just can send her home because we don't know where or when her home is." Cat Noir mentions the obvious "Not mention Hawkmoth." If was all the Miraculous this world Hawkmoth was after the access to alternate worlds or times meant not even his world and everyone in it was safe.

"Help us. So, we can help her." Druid asked gently.

The three stood in the shadow of the school. The soft whispers of the group outside being the only notable sound.

"Fine!" Cat Noir said loud enough for the rest of the group to hear him "What's your plan?!"