Five minutes.
That was all the time Ladybug had right now. In her hand she clutched a black ring that resembled Chat Noir's in every aspect. But it wasn't Chat Noir's ring. It was a fake she had summoned using her own power, and now she only had five minutes to walk into the building and save Lila and purify the akuma. Or she could save Lila, detransform, recharge and then come back. Whatever happened, she would no longer be Ladybug after five minutes passed.
She breathed, placing her hand on the door of the warehouse before glancing upwards. Chat Noir had taken to the roof to search for a discreet entrance that would allow him to theoretically get Lila out of the building while Ladybug talked to Game Over. She hoped he wouldn't slip in the rain.
Ladybug pushed the door open and found herself in a dim, vast room. One strike of lighting touched down somewhere close by and illuminated the area brightly for a second. She could see rows of poles all the way to the back of the room. But tied to a column about twenty feet in front of her was Lila, her figure edged by a blue glow. That light was most likely from Game Over, who stood next to her armed with a 3Ds. He placed it on his hip.
Ladybug tamped down on her instinct to react to Lila's presence. She kept calm and sent the akuma a level stare.
"Welcome." Game Over's voice said, accompanied by the rainfall surrounding the building.
"I have Chat Noir's miraculous." Ladybug said, and held out her hand. The black ring lay atop her palm, reflecting the blue light of Game Over's device. At that, Lila's face made a visible change, and for a moment she looked horrified. But Ladybug couldn't think of anyway to reassure Lila without Game Over noticing, so she didn't. Lila would have to remain oblivious to the plan until after it was executed.
Lila stayed silent.
Game Over made a satisfied face as he sauntered over.
"You made the right decision," He said as he plucked the ring from Ladybug's hand, turning it about in his fingers.
"Now let Lila go," Ladybug said fiercely. At that, Game Over raised an eyebrow.
"I believe I said Miraculouses. As in, I need yours, too." He smirked and held out his own hand. Ladybug stiffened, and she faintly heard her earring beep. Four minutes.
"After you have freed Lila," She returned, folding her arms.
"Oh, but Ladybug, there is no guarantee that you'll give it to me once I free her." Game Over made a shrugging motion, still keeping his arm stretched out towards. "She's my only leverage against you."
Ladybug looked past the akuma and watched as a dark figure slipped in through a door on the far side of the warehouse. Her nerves calmed down a bit. Chat Noir had made it in.
"She never did anything, she shouldn't have to deal with this, Game Over," Ladybug argued, trying to keep Game Over busy. She prayed he wouldn't look back.
"You know you're wrong, Ladybug. She spent too much time around you, and that was her mistake. And now I'm using her against you," Game Over said. "That's just how it goes. Now hand over your Miraculous."
"But-" Ladybug tried to say, anything to keep Game Over from noticing Chat Noir. Even Lila hadn't noticed him yet.
Game Over's hand receded into the gauntlet on his arm, and a ball of fire shot out. Ladybug flinched out of the way, hand going to her yoyo as a black blur moved.
"Chat!" Ladybug winced. Chat Noir was standing in front of her, staff held out protectively. He'd come out of the darkness to her aid. But at the cost of ruining their plan.
"Oh my," Game Over's voice said, and in the moment Chat Noir had leaped out, he had managed to step several feet back. "What do we have here? Looks like there's another liar around here. You've got a friend, Lila," He looked down at the fake ring in his hand, and shook his head as he let it drop to the floor. It clattered on the ground; it was useless.
"Let her go, Game Over!" Chat Noir called out as Ladybug moved to stand beside him, ready to battle. Even if there were only three minutes left before she detransformed.
"After you betrayed my trust like that? We had a deal," Game Over tsk-ed and turned to go back to Lila. Before he go any farther, Ladybug hurled her yoyo, trying to grab one of his legs. But Game Over sidestepped it easily, and the cannon he already had open let out a volley of fireballs. Chat Noir swung into action, deflecting the fireballs but unable to attack back. Ladybug gritted her teeth and leaped out to the side. If Chat Noir could keep Game Over busy, she could go grab Lila before she detransformed. A beep sounded in her ear, and she knew she only had two minutes left.
As Ladybug passed Game Over, he laughed. Ladybug turned to look slightly at him, confusion and horror rushing through her head. She didn't understand, but she didn't have time to make sense of it. She didn't know why he didn't feel the need to stop her. Why he let Ladybug go to Lila without a care in the world. Why he laughed.
Ladybug knelt at Lila's feet, hands tearing at the ropes that kept her tied to the pole behind her.
"I'm here, Lila, I've got you-" She was saying as the cords fell to the ground. As the last of the rope fell away from Lila, she heard a thud behind her. Ladybug glanced back at Game Over, and she gasped upon seeing Chat Noir sprawled on the ground, staff rolling away as Game Over stood up.
"Run!" Chat called, struggling to get to his feet. Game Over cocked his head, and laughed again as he aimed a kick at Chat's ribs. Chat Noir rolled, barely escaping the strike as he got up, grabbing his staff from the floor.
Ladybug reached out to take Lila's hand.
"We have to go!" She said, tugging impatiently. The faster she escaped with Lila, the faster she could recharge and come back to help Chat.
But Lila didn't move.
Game Over's laugh sounded again the warehouse.
"Hey Ladybug!" He called out as he slammed his cannon into Chat's staff. "Once a villain, always a villain!" The impact of his weapon with Chat Noir's sent the staff flying away, and Game Over moved to strike again. Chat Noir couldn't do this alone.
But Ladybug didn't understand, couldn't understand Game Over's words nor Lila's behavior. The girl avoided Ladybug's eyes and kept her feet glued in place.
"What are you talking about?" A hint a panic took to Ladybug's voice. She suddenly stepped back from Lila, feeling an edge of fear creep up her spine. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong, and it had something to do with the girl she loved.
Lila's hand suddenly dipped into her pocket, and Ladybug felt disbelief and panic shake her body as she drew an object out.
Lila held a closed jar in her palm. Behind the glass was a fluttering, black butterfly.
An akuma.
In that moment Ladybug wasn't a superhero. She wasn't a Miraculous holder. She was just a girl. She was just Marinette. A klutz of a girl who let herself get pushed around. She was just a girl who was frozen in fear because she was too weak to protect the people she loved the most. A girl who was frozen in fear because for some reason, the person she loved the most was suddenly turning against her.
"What are you doing?" She asked, her voice breaking as Lila's other hand came to lift the top off.
Beep. There was only a single minute left.
Ladybug watched in horror, panic holding her in place as the butterfly came out of the jar and floated next to Lila.
Capture it before she gets akumatized! Marinette! Move!
Marinette watched hopelessly, questions running through her head and confusion rooting her to the ground. What was she doing? What was Lila doing? Why was this happening?
"Lila," she whispered, a plea for all of this to stop. Ladybug watched as Lila's mouth formed words, but they were lost in the rush of her heart beating in her ears.
The black butterfly flew once around Lila, as if evaluating her. And then it settled at Lila's throat, where a heart-shaped necklace sat. Marinette watched as the necklace glowed once before reshaping itself in accordance to the akuma. A black substance stretched from the chain, covering Lila head to toe.
Marinette was yelling inside. She was screaming. She was suffering.
Ladybug was just staring in disbelief as the black mass shifted around Lila before dissipating.
And then she was staring at Volpina. A familiar pain twisted her heart. She thought she'd never have to see Lila like this ever again.
Negative emotions were what allowed the akuma inside someone, and Lila had plenty of that. She forced herself to think of all the things wrong, ripping open an entrance for the akuma to come in.
Lila could feel her body cringe as the akuma took root in her mind.
"Welcome back, Volpina."
Oh yes, Hawkmoth's loving voice. The best part of being akumatized.
"I can give you the power to have revenge on those who have hurt you. I hope you can make up for the last time we talked. You will pair nicely with Game Over."
Lila recoiled in disgust as the darkness inside her spread, changing her from a regular girl into the supervillain Volpina. But she held on.
I can do this.
She had to fix this. She couldn't let Marinette get hurt anymore.
"Yes, Hawkmoth," She said, flexing her fingers as the akuma transformed her. The black substance dissipated, and then she was standing where she was before.
"Take care of Ladybug, and get her Miraculous, Volpina. Once I'm done with Chat Noir, I'll hold a welcoming party for you." Game Over said from his battle. His voice made Lila sick.
"Of course, Game Over," Volpina returned. She looked down at Ladybug, and felt an ache in her heart upon seeing the desolation in Ladybug's face. But then she looked at the earrings, and she realized Ladybug was on the brink of detransformation. There was only a single spot left on the red surface.
Hawkmoth would know her identity. Volpina would let that happen.
Lila leaped to action. She fought inside of herself, screaming and pushing as she forced the akuma to obey. She forced her negative emotions out, closing up the breach in her mind and stopping the akuma's progress.
The akuma wasn't in control anymore.
Lila brought the flute to her lips, and as Ladybug's earrings gave one last beep, a wall suddenly rose up from the ground, keeping Marinette hidden. She and her identity were protected. For now, at least. Her illusions had substance for a little while now, like the second time she had been akumatized. She wouldn't let Hawkmoth see.
Lila hoped Marinette had heard her before she accepted the akuma. But she hadn't wanted to alert Game Over to her plan. She wondered what Marinette was thinking, walled off from the fight.
Then she darted over to Game Over, who was giving Chat Noir a thorough pummeling.
I'm sorry, Lila thought to herself. She had caused his pain, as well. But she was going to end it.
Lila grabbed for the 3Ds strapped to Game Over's waist, and it came away easily.
"What are you doing?!" Game Over yelled angrily, turning to look at Volpina. This allowed Chat Noir to land a blow back, and gain the upper hand.
Hawkmoth seemed to realize he had made a mistake. The purple outline of a butterfly appeared on her face as she then used her flute like a staff sweeping Game Over off of his feet.
"You filthy little- You tricked me! I gave you power and this is what you do with it?!" Hawkmoth was upset. He was angry.
He was going to take the akuma out of Lila the way he did before. He was going to remove it. The akuma began to struggle, struggling to escape Lila. Lila would have loved to let it go and never come back, but she needed its power.
To save Marinette. The moment the akuma left, the wall that kept Marinette from view would vanish. Her power would be gone and Marinette would be revealed to Hawkmoth, who could see what the butterflies
Lila hurled the 3Ds to the ground and then grabbed her necklace, forcing the akuma to stay inside. It was crying, it was yelling, it was trying to escape her but Lila hung on, forcing it to stay. The darkness contorted inside her, bringing pain to her muscles and discord in her thoughts. But she still needed to keep it so she could protect Marinette. Ladybug's identity.
"You can't leave so soon," Lila said to the akuma, clutching at her necklace. It had reshaped into the Volpina necklace in the akumatization. "You've only just got here."
When Lila finally got the butterfly to temporarily stop ripping its way out of her mind, she realized that Game Over's akuma had exited the broken 3Ds. And with the broken device, his powers were disabled and his de-akumatization was imminent. But the akuma was left floating. Only Ladybug could purify it.
"You know what? You're right. Maybe we should stay longer." Hawkmoth's voice suddenly said, and Lila's eyes widened. She watched as Game Over melted away to reveal a normal but unconscious teenager, and as the other akuma turned and headed for her.
Her own akuma, she could control for a little bit. But Game Over's, too?
That was too much. Lila clutched her flute to her chest and backed up as it approached her. She hated how it felt having one akuma inside. She couldn't imagine the sorrow and despair of having two. Fear spiked inside of her and blood rushed in her ears.
"No!" She felt her breath pick up as she focused on the black and purple wings. She was already fighting to stay in control; she couldn't handle another akuma. She couldn't do it and she was terrified. Hadn't she done enough?
And then it stopped.
Chat Noir had picked up the jar and closed the akuma inside of it just before it touched Lila. Lila let out a breath, her shoulders sagging as Chat Noir approached her.
"Are you… are you really in control, Lila?" He asked, awe in his voice.
"I… am." She looked at him, and then down at herself. I really did it.
She saved him. She saved Marinette. She took control of her worst enemy and used it to protect the people important to her.
Just then the akuma resumed its struggle. She gasped and curled in on herself, hands going to clutch at her necklace.
"Let it out, Lila!" Chat Noir dropped his staff and approached her, worry coloring his face.
"I can't!" She said through gritted teeth. "Not yet! Ladybug-" Lila grimaced in pain, but she continued. "She might not have transformed back yet! I can't let the akuma see her identity!" Lila threw her head back as pain rippled through her head and screamed. The akuma was tearing at her, ripping at her will and she felt her fingers slipping. It felt like it was splitting her head.
"Foolish girl! You don't deserve this power! You were supposed to listen to ME! Let it go!" Hawkmoth's voice echoed in her mind, overwhelming her senses. Sharp jabs followed every emphasis. But she held tight, hands grabbing at the darkness and forcing it to stay.
Chat Noir ran to the walled off area, fists coming to pound on the bricks.
"Ladybug! Are you transformed?!" He yelled through the thing.
Lila jolted as a particular painful rush swept through her, and then she registered Chat Noir's hand shaking her shoulder.
"She said she's transformed! Her identity is safe! You can let it go!" He was saying frantically.
Lila's eyes snapped open, and in that moment she flung her arms open and let the akuma go. As the dark butterfly clawed its way out of her necklace and leaped in the air, she felt all of the pain vanish. The strange, bubbling darkness inside of her dissipated as she released the evil power, taking the supervillain Volpina with it.
But as the pain left her, exhaustion replaced it. Lila nearly felt herself drop as her vision swam, but Chat Noir caught her.
"Lila!"
Lila blinked.
Marinette!
Lila steadied her legs thanks to Chat Noir and turned around. She prayed that it wouldn't be Marinette standing there. That she wouldn't be stuck in her civilian clothes. That Hawkmoth wouldn't be able to see through the akuma and discover Ladybug's identity.
And thankfully when Lila turned around and Volpina's illusion wall faded away, it was not Marinette who stood there but Ladybug. Somehow she had managed to recharge and retransform while protected in Lila's illusion. Relief crested in Lila and she wanted to run to her.
But she didn't know how Marinette felt about her after what happened before.
"My lady! You're okay!" Chat Noir said, and Ladybug didn't reply. He looked down at his hand, and then remembered that they needed to purify the butterflies.
Chat Noir uncapped the jar and let the akuma free. Ladybug stepped forward, silently swinging her yoyo to take both Volpina's and Game Over's akuma inside. And when she opened her yoyo again, white butterflies burst out and gently flew away.