Chapter Two

"You know, we could just transform and go right back up to your room and sleep in some more," Plagg said, peering out from Marinette's coin purse as she ran to school.

She eyed the small kwami, whose presence she was still getting used to. At first he had refused to get into the pink bag, but after throwing a piece of brie in there he had zipped in without complaint. He was still demanding camembert, but had yet to reject any of the other cheese she had on hand.

"I'm not going to be late for the second day of school," she said. "We're only allowed so many tardies a semester."

Plagg sank back into her purse, muttering something about how it was stupid that school was required for everyone in this era. She didn't bother replying as she joined her fellow students in front of the school, slowing from her run across the street. Her Miraculous felt heavy on her finger as she recalled what had taken place here yesterday, and she was still trying to make sense of it all. The fact that magic was real was... magical.

"Hey girl!" A voice called, and Marinette glanced over her shoulder to see Alya bolting over towards her. A smile flickered over her face at the sight of her new friend, and she hurried to join her. "You should've come with me yesterday– it was a-ma-zing!"

"I saw your footage on the news," Marinette said, fighting against a grin. "You're crazy though, you know that– going after a rampaging monster?"

Nevermind the fact that she was the one crazy enough to fight it.

"Yeah, but I got the best footage out there," Alya said proudly. "And on top of that I was able to meet and witness two real heroes fighting! And you know what I've decided– if there's another fight I'm going to be the first one there to tell the world about again!" She whipped out her phone, proudly holding it out. "Ta-da!"

"The BeetleBlog?" Marinette said, reading the bold font at the top of the page. Below that was the video Alya had filmed last night, and while the background was a blinding red, there wasn't much else on the website.

"It needs some work," Alya admitted. "I only got it set up last night– but this is going to be the number one news source for everything about Paris' heroes! Next time they show up I'm going to be there. Soon the news won't be calling me an amateur for long– I'm going to be their competition!"

"Isn't that a little bit, er, dangerous?" Marinette said hesitantly. "You're not planning on running to the fight if there is another one, right?"

"Oh, you should've been there Mari– can I call you that?– those heroes were absolutely amazing! The video is nothing compared to seeing them in person, and trust me, there's nothing to worry about– they'll be keeping us safe from anything else that might come our way." She leaned in close. "And I'm not going to lie, Crimson Beetle isn't too bad looking."

Marinette flushed, Alya voicing the thought she had yet to say. "W-well you're not wrong about that..."

"Lady Noire is gorgeous too," Alya said after a moment, and Marinette felt her blush growing. "A bit intimidating though."

"Intimidating?" She echoed.

"Um, you saw that she did, right? She collapsed the whole stadium with just a touch of her hand." Alya said. "It was scary to watch. Awesome, but scary."

"Yeah, but it wasn't like she was hurting anyone," Marinette said quickly, panic rising. "She was just stopping the monster."

"Yeah, and it was amazing," Alya looked like she was about to say more, when the warning bell rang. With that she linked her arm around Marinette's, dragging her towards the front door. "Come on, let's go!

The whole school seemed to be buzzing with the chaos that had taken place yesterday, as the school had been where the event with Stoneheart had all begun. Marinette's head spun slightly as she heard whispers about the superheroes. It had been interesting discussing it with her parents and now with Alya, yet it was only now it was truly sinking in that the whole city was talking about her. The idea was intimidating, yet sent a flicker of pride through her at the same time.

She had helped stop Stoneheart. She had thought that she would be the worst choice, yet in the moment it had felt so natural. Sure, Plagg was a bit on the annoying side, but at the same time he was a magical being that was living in her purse. She touched her Miraculous, wondering if she would need to step into another fight soon. Plagg acted like they would, but who knew what would happen.

"Moving to Paris was the best thing ever," Alya said excitedly. "I wasn't too sure about a big city at first, but now I have no regrets. I mean– super heroes– can you imagine being one?"

"Up until yesterday I couldn't even imagine them existing," Marinette replied after a moment, and thought it was a pretty clever answer. Alya flashed her a grin as they headed into their home room, though their smiles quickly turned to a frown when they saw a flash of blonde in their seats from yesterday.

"Gah, you'd think she'd have something better to do," Alya muttered, watching as Chloe handed Sabrina a piece of chewed gum, who placed it right on Marinette's seat.

"You get used to it," Marinette said softly, the reminder that Chloe was in their class dampening her spirits. She had always been her favorite target, and clearly that wasn't going to change this year. Marinette opened her purse, searching for a tissue to get the gum off with, and jumped when she saw a pair of green eyes staring up at her– she was still getting used to this.

"Uh, no way girl," Alya said, grabbing her wrist and marching them into the classroom. Marinette stumbled but managed to keep her balance as Alya led them past Chloe and up towards the seat Chloe had taken from her yesterday.

"What do you think you're doing?" Chloe asked, hands on her hips as Alya pushed Marinette back into her old seat.

"Well you were putting gum on that chair, so clearly you were trying to claim it as your own," Alya said, sliding over into the seat next to Marinette. "So we'll just let you have it without a fight– that's what you want, right?"

"Why you–!" Chloe snarled, taking a step towards them.

"Hey, Chloe," a warm voice called, and instantly Chloe fell silent. She spun around to see a boy entering the classroom, and a smile spread across her face. Marinette blinked in surprise, startled to see such a friendly and joyous smile on the normally stuck-up girl's face.

"Adrikins!" She shouted, bolting over to him and throwing herself into his arms. He returned the hug, smiling as well. "You came!" She pulled back, hands hanging from his shoulders as she beamed. "You actually made it today!"

"Looks like someone has a boyfriend," Alya muttered.

Marinette's eyes widened in recognition. "Wait– that's Adrien Agreste, isn't it?"

"The model, right?"

"Yeah, he's the son of my favorite fashion designer," she said, watching as Chloe dragged him into the classroom. "No wonder he and Chloe know each other."

"This is your seat," Chloe said proudly, pointing to the desk right in front of Marinette and Alya. "I'm supposed to be sitting right behind you, but those two jerks stole my seat. Don't worry, I'll get them back and–"

"Stole?" Alya snarled. "You forced Marinette out of this seat yesterday!"

"And put gum on my other seat today," Marinette added, jerking her head over towards the gum-covered bench Sabrina was near, and Chloe merely rolled her eyes.

Adrien raised an eyebrow. "Gum, Chloe, really? I know you can be nicer than that."

"Like they're worth my time!" She said, crossing her arms.

"Come on Chlo, let's not make a big deal over seats. Besides, I won't be able to see you if you're sitting behind me."

She let out a dramatic sigh. "Fine, Adrikins, if you insist."

Marinette blinked in surprise as she watched Chloe snap her fingers at Sabrina, who swiftly took the gum off the bench with no hesitation. Chloe then sat down without complaint, merely giving Sabrina a wave to sit next to her. Adrien then took the seat in front of Marinette, setting his bag on the ground, before looking about excitedly.

"Hi there," he said, holding a hand out to Nino, who was next to him. "I'm Adrien."

Nino eyed him. "So you're the friend Chloe's been talking so much about? I'll say you're not what I expected."

Adrien's hand pulled back slightly. "Why does everyone keep acting like that's such a bad thing?"

Nino snorted. "I'm not sure we know the same Chloe, that little fiasco you just saw is basically everyday. If you ask me this was one of her better days."

He looked away. "I... I know she's not perfect, but we've been friends ever since we were kids. Underneath it all she can really be nice. Sometimes." He shifted, while she and Alya gave a snort of disbelief. "She's like the only friend I have."

Nino's expression softened, and he held out his hand. "I'm Nino, and I say it's time for you to make some new friends, dude."

Adrien's expression brightened up immediately, shaking hands with Nino. Marinette leaned back, pulling her backpack into her lap. "Huh, looks like we're not dealing with Chloe 2.0 then."

"Sounds like a lucky break for us," Alya said, before pulling out her phone and turning towards her. "Okay, what do you think I should do for the header on the BeetleBlog? I was thinking something green because of Lady, but would that look too Christmas-y with the red?"

"Maybe something with paw prints then?" Marinette offered.

"Ooo, I like that! I could do red with black polka dots like a ladybug's pattern, but instead of dots they can be cat paw prints!"

They chattered on as they waited for the teacher, more of their classmates coming in. It wasn't until they heard a hush fall over their class that they looked up, expecting Miss Bustier– only to see a towering Ivan standing in the doorway instead. Ivan had always been the quiet type, but Marinette had never seen him like this before. His shoulders were hunched, not making eye contact with anyone as he made his way up towards his desk. Marinette watched as some of her classmates pulled away as he went by, though the only one he bothered to look at was Mylene.

The girl swallowed hard as they made eye contact, and Ivan quickly pulled his gaze away, sitting at the desk right behind her and Alya, next to Nathaniel. The redhead inched over as he took his seat, and much to Marinette's surprise he stood up and went to the desk behind Ivan– even though they had sat next to each other yesterday just fine. Ivan said nothing, folding his arms across his desk and burying his head into them.

"What was that about?" Marinette said in a whisper, at the same time the rest of the class burst out talking.

"They let him into school?"

"They said he went after Kim!"

"Do you think he'll turn back into Stoneheart?"

"They're not scared of Ivan, are they?" Marinette asked with wide eyes, turning towards Alya. She didn't seem as wary as the others had, but she did look unsettled with Ivan right behind them. "None of that was his fault!"

Alya just stared at her. "He was turned into a giant." She said in a whisper. "You saw what he did– he was tearing up the city! How was that not his fault?"

Marinette sat there, not liking the way Alya shifted with Ivan right behind them, but she realized that her friend did not have a magical cat in her purse to explain what had happened yesterday. She hesitated, trying to find something in Ivan's favor.

"But in your video, he didn't remember anything," Marinette said. "The heroes didn't seem scared of him either."

"Still, what if it happened again?" She shivered, turning to face the front of the classroom. "But that's what the heroes are for, huh? To fight monsters and villains?"

Marinette said nothing, her hand with the ring tightening. 'Monster'... she had used that word earlier as well, but now it was leaving a heavy feeling in her gut. Yeah, Stoneheart had been monstrous, but it hadn't crossed her mind that people would actually connect that creature to Ivan. But how was she to explain he had merely been a host, brainwashed by the Butterfly? She couldn't without explaining the creature in her purse and the ring on her hand.

Unfortunately she was forced away from her thoughts as Miss Bustier entered the room, and started class.


Adrien wasn't blind, he knew that Chloe could be outright rude at times– yet the idea of 'bully' had never crossed his mind when it came to her. Chloe was harsh, yes, but once you got through her tough shell and earned the title of friend she was someone you could count on. In fact, she was the only friend he had truly had growing up. No, 'friend' wasn't enough to describe her– she was like a sister to him.

That was why it was hard to see so many people looking at her with distaste– and even harder to realize they were probably justified in those actions.

He would be lying if he tried to deny her brash nature, but the Chloe he knew was a different person than who he had seen today. She could be better, he knew she could, yet she didn't seem all that interested in trying. Chloe embraced the high social life she had grown up in, and loved to flaunt it.

Unfortunately, she had also flaunted about his friendship with her– leading people to either look at him like his many fans he had encountered before, or to give him a look of distaste from the fact he was associated with Chloe. He had come here wanting to make more friends and to just try to be a normal kid, but it seemed like it wasn't going to be that easy. It was also strange because when people weren't paying attention to him they were talking about the heroes from yesterday– one of whom had been him.

"Melissa wasn't lying– Adrien Agreste is really here at our school!" He heard someone squeal as he and Nino passed a group of girls in the halls, which he pretended not to hear. He had never been exactly comfortable with such attention– but he was used to it.

"Do you think I could get an autograph?" Someone else said, and internally Adrien shuddered– that was the last thing he wanted to do at school. He walked just a bit faster, even though he had no idea where their next class was.

"Adrien Agreste!" Someone called out, one loud enough that he couldn't ignore. "Adrien, wait up!"

He turned slowly, relaxing to show nothing but a friendly demeanor as the girl ran up to him. Adrien smiled his signature smile, looking completely content. "Yes?"

The girl giggled as he spoke, as if he had just said something poetic. "This is your first day here, right? If you need help finding your way around me and my friends would be glad to help you."

She came a bit closer as she spoke, something he was used to fans doing, though he wished she'd back off a bit. He continued smiling at her, knowing how rude it would be to show that he wasn't comfortable. He glanced around a bit, a small group of girls watching them talk with eager grins, and he assumed they were her friends. A short girl with pink hair shoved her way through the crowd, rolling her eyes as they gave her a glare– seemingly not a fan like them.

"That's very nice of you," he said, beaming, his response practically rehearsed as they slipped from his mouth. "I–"

He had no idea what to think when Nino stepped in between him and the other student, shooting a glare at her. "Did he seem lost to you, dudette?" He snapped. "If anything you're just going to make him late by stopping him like that. Come on dude, let's get to class."

With that Nino grabbed him by the shoulders, marching them forward through the hall, leaving the gaggle of girls behind. Adrien wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but was happy for the chance to escape his fans. He appreciated them, he truly did... but he was hoping to make a friend, not just for people to recognize his face from pictures.

"So that's what being a model is like, then?" Nino asked with a snort as they slipped away, glancing over his shoulder.

He shrugged. "Being a well known one, yeah. If not you're just another pretty face on the page. Honestly I'd prefer it to be that way with me."

"So what if you have a pretty face," Nino said. "That doesn't make a difference. Anyways, what kind of music do you like? If you say XY then I have to say this friendship is over already."

It sounded like he was teasing, but still those words sent a jolt of fear through Adrien. His eyes widened slightly, but he covered that up with a classic smile as he looked at Nino, heart pounding a bit faster. Nino was just grinning a friendly smile, showing that he hadn't messed up his new friendship, instead just pulling out his phone. He had a music app open, holding it out for Adrien to see.

"Jagged Stone is my favorite," Adrien said, recognizing the rock star's newest album. "I also like a lot of American bands, if you listen to any of those. And classical, it's what I grew up with."

"Did you see that collab Jagged did recently?" Nino asked.

Adrien relaxed, and was glad to get lost in a conversation about music. It was quite easy to see that it was something Nino was passionate about, and his music list was quite lengthy. It wasn't long before they found themselves in their science classroom, exchanging artists and songs as they waited for class to begin. Nino had let out a low whistle when Adrien had pulled out his phone, and for a moment he felt a bit out of place, but Nino didn't say anything else– only offering him his headphones when he heard Adrien didn't know his favorite band.

Their science teacher was much different than their homeroom teacher, a teacher with sharp eyes and a strict persona from the moment she started class. For a moment she reminded Adrien of Nathalie, though it didn't take long to see that she wasn't nearly as patient or collected as his father's assistant was. A few of the topics they were going to be covering this year were ones he had already learned from his tutors, but some would be new to him, and just looking around the classroom it seemed it would be more hands-on than reading from a textbook– he couldn't wait.

"I want to ask the teacher a few things," Adrien said as they packed up for their next class.

"Ms. Mendeleiev? Good luck, dude," Nino said, swinging his backpack over his shoulder. "I'll meet you in the locker room."

He didn't know what he needed good luck for– Ms. Mendeleiev hadn't hesitated to answer any of his questions about her class, even giving a nod of approval when he asked for book recommendations on physics, as he had read all the ones he owned several times. He was practically glowing as he headed out of the classroom, fishing through his backpack to find a mint to give to Tikki.

"You seem to be having fun today," the kwami said from his pocket, happily taking the treat from his hands.

"It's been amazing," he said giddily. "I know Father won't be happy when I get home, but sneaking out again was so worth it."

"Well I think–" Tikki began, before cutting herself off as she tucked her head deeper into his pocket. He glanced up and saw two people coming towards him, and quickly acted as if he were just adjusting his white shirt. He probably should have been more careful before talking to the kwami.

"Hi there," Adrien said as he saw that the two kids were looking at him– and going off of their glare they were part of the 'oh you're friends with Chloe' crowd. He recognized them as students that were in his class, and he was pretty sure he had caught sight of them in the halls before their science class. One a tall and muscular boy, who seemed to fit the role of 'jock' from the shows he had watched. The girl was a lot shorter, especially compared to the boy, with pale pink hair and a cool glare.

"You're the Agreste kid, right?" the girl asked as soon as they drew close.

"That's right, I'm Adrien," he said warmly– which was what he wanted to be known as. Adrien. Not Gabriel's son, not Chloe's friend– just Adrien. "We have classes together, right? What are your names?"

"The name's Kim," the boy said, puffing up his chest proudly.

"And I'm Alix," the girl finished, crossing her arms. "You have a moment to talk, Agreste?"

"Sure," he said, offering them a smile despite their less-than-friendly demeanors. "What's up?"

"You're Chloe's friend, right?" Alix checked, and Adrien held back a sigh– those words again.

"I am," he said, forcing himself to stay civil like he had been taught. Oh Chloe, was she really proud of this reputation she had earned?

"Well, with her in the class we already put up with one spoiled brat," Alix continued, taking a step forward. "So we're just here to let you know that we're not going to be putting up with any crap you're going to be bringing. You mess with any of our classmates you're messing with us!"

"Oh." He didn't know what to say to that. "Well I'm–"

"You're what? Big-famous-daddy's-boy?" Kim cooed, giving him a push, causing him to stumble back.

"We don't care who you are," Alix growled. "You don't get to walk over us, and you don't get to act like you're better than us."

"What are you guys doing?" A voice snapped from behind them, and Alix glanced over her shoulder. She didn't seem concerned at all, just turning her attention back towards Adrien.

"Hey Mari," Kim said cheerfully.

"Don't you 'hey Mari' me," Marinette growled, and Adrien recognized her as the girl Chloe had been upset with in their home room. "What are you guys doing?"

"We're just welcoming the new kid," Kim said, slapping Adrien on the back, a bit too hard for it to be a jovial gesture. "Helping him out, making sure he knows how things work around here."

"Bucking him off his high horse before he becomes too comfortable," Alix muttered.

Marinette scowled. "What did he do to you?"

Alix shrugged. "We don't need another Chloe prancing about like they own the place, so we're just setting him straight."

"Oh, lighten up Mari, this isn't like you," Kim said, giving her a small shove that was much more playful than the push he had given him earlier. "That frown doesn't suit you. Besides, you know the last thing we need is another Chloe running about."

"You're right, we don't," Marinette said. "She's bullied me for the last three years, and we don't need someone else like that." She glowered at the two of them. "That's why I'm absolutely disgusted to see you two doing exactly that."

Kim blinked in surprise, and Alix scowled. "We're not–"

"You're not what?" Marinette cut her off, and the two of them seemed startled by this reaction– as even the much larger Kim took a step back. "Cornering and harassing him? You said so yourself, he hasn't done anything yet apparently this school is now 'guilty before proven innocent'?"

"He's some rich kid– Chloe's best friend!" Alix rolled her eyes. "What are you expecting, a saint?"

"Yeah, he is Chloe's friend," Marinette said. "And you guys are mine– yet the only ones I see acting like Chloe here are you two."

With that Marinette strolled between the two of them, grabbed Adrien's wrist, and began dragging him the opposite way down the hall. He stumbled the first few steps, caught off guard, but was more than happy to follow her away from the others. Her grasp on him was firm, eyes narrowed as she muttered under her breath. It was hard to catch just what she was saying, but he was pretty sure he heard 'idiots' and 'rash monkey-brained buffoons', which he wasn't sure what to make of.

"First Ivan, now this," she growled. "What's gotten into them?"

"Um, hi?" Adrien said uncertainly, not quite sure where he was being led to. Marinette suddenly stopped, looking at him as if she hadn't realized he was there. Then she suddenly released his hand, jumping back.

"Oh my gosh– I'm so sorry!" She cried, sounding panicked and nothing like the glowering girl he had seen moments ago. "Are you okay? Oh, what am I saying– I'm sorry about Alix and Kim, I swear they're actually quite nice. No, wait, never mind– that's not an excuse for how they treated you–"

"It's okay, I get it," Adrien said, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Chloe comes with a label, and they're just worried what I might be like."

"That doesn't give them the right to harass you!" Marinette cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Thank you, for stepping in back there," he said. "They seemed, um, enthusiastic."

"They're a dedicated duo," she said with a nod. "Always go full out, which always isn't a good thing. What exactly did they say to you? I only caught the tail end of everything."

He shrugged. "Basically if I mess with anyone I have to deal with them," he held out his hands. "They were just worried about your– well, our class– that's all, don't be mad at them."

"Well they know better than that! Well, apparently they don't but– oh, I have no idea what I'm saying," she gave him an uncertain smile. "You don't deserve to be treated that way, from what I've seen you're a pretty decent guy."

He smiled back. "I'm Adrien Agreste, but I have a feeling that you already know that."

Marinette chuckled. "Yeah, I do. I'm a huge fan of your dad's work, so... I've seen plenty of you basically," she paused. "Well, pictures of you, that is. It will be nice to get to know the real you though– you and Nino seem to have hit it off quite well."

Adrien beamed. "He's awesome."

"We've been in the same class for the last few years, and honestly this is the most chatty I've seen him in a long time," she sat up a bit. "Anyways, I'm Marinette."

"Sorry about Chloe this morning," Adrien said. "She can be a bit... intense."

"To say the least."

"She's nice, once you get to know her," he said quickly, before pausing. "Well, more like if she thinks you're worth getting to know... I'm not helping her case at all, am I?"

Marinette was smirking slightly. "No, you're not. But I get you, childhood friends and all? I've known Kim since primary school, so I can say he has a lot better sides than what he just showed you." She crinkled her nose. "Not that I think Chloe has one."

"It's there," Adrien promised. "Locked away under all that sass."

Marinette burst out laughing at this, and Adrien couldn't help but blink. It was just such a light and carefree sound and... okay, maybe he was a tiny bit biased– but he had already decided this girl was awesome. Marching up and telling off her friends for his sake? He knew he wouldn't have the guts to do that, here he had been defending Chloe even though he knew she hadn't been treating their fellow classmates well.

Seeing Marinette's confidence, the way she hadn't hesitated, and just the kindness she had shown him despite having just met him... it was nice. She knew who he was, but like Nino she hadn't zeroed in on that like it was the only thing that mattered. So her laugh seemed to draw him in, and as she gave him a smile that just made him feel light.

"We should get to our next class," Marinette said after a moment, eyes widening with realization. "We're probably going to be late... but honestly that's nothing new for me. Second day of school, might as well start building up my tardies again."

This time Adrien was the one to laugh, and she smiled in reply as she led him to where their next class would be. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to memorize all of this, but hopefully with time he would learn.

And though neither had said a word about it, he was confident that he had made yet another friend.


It was easy to slip away in the panic.

Marinette was panting as she hurried into the bathroom, hand clutched close to her heart. It was thankfully empty, but despite that noise echoed off the walls and stalls, her phone refusing to shut off. She leaned up against the wall, staring down at the figure on the screen.

"Hmm," a voice hummed next to her, and she flinched slightly, only to find that Plagg had made his way out of her purse. His paws were crossed and his ears were back. "Seems the new Butterfly holder isn't wasting any time sending out another champion."

"Two days in a row?" Marinette said, her voice small. "Are we going to have to do this everyday?"

Plagg shrugged, seeming unconcerned. "Maybe. Who knows. If they actually have a life then probably not."

Every electronic screen in the city was playing the same thing– a video of a person who was calling themselves the Cameraman. It was an unsettling image, a pitch black figure with a large camera in place of their head. It didn't help that they were repeatedly calling for Crimson Beetle and Lady Noire to come to the Eiffel Tower, the hollow voice echoing from her phone no matter her attempts to silence it.

"What do we do?" She asked in a small voice, and Plagg let out a yawn.

"We go and fight him," the kwami replied, unconcerned. "Wouldn't be surprised if they were trying to lay a trap of some kind, since they're calling you, but our job is our job."

"Crimson Beetle. Lady Noire," Cameraman's voice called once more from the phone. "Come to the Eiffel Tower. You have an hour."

"We have time– so you wanna hunker down?" Plagg asked with a grin. "Have some cheese before we take off to save the day?"

"Aren't you supposed to tell me that we need to go now or something?" Marinette asked, eyeing the small cat-like creature. He had been so insistent yesterday with Stoneheart, yet right now he was just letting out another yawn.

"Meh," Plagg shrugged. "We'll get there eventually, won't we?"

She closed her eyes, since the kwami clearly wasn't going to be of any help. She had done just fine yesterday, so she could do this again. Cameraman didn't look nearly as threatening as Stoneheart had, so she could handle this. Crimson was sure to be there as well, so she wouldn't be alone. She held up her hand, looking at her ring.

"Plagg, claws out," she said, and with a flash Plagg turned into an orb of green light. The creature was drawn into the ring, a wave of magical energy washing over her. The sensation was just as jarring as it had been yesterday, the green light draping her hot, yet not burning as it covered her. As it faded away she found herself once again as Lady Noire.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, a pair of electric blue eyes staring back at her. They looked so unnatural, both her irises and the whites of her eyes a vibrant blue, while her pupils were slitted just like a cat's. She couldn't help but watch herself, the cat ears on her head flicking up as if they were real. She briefly touched them, causing them to twitch at the contact, yet they were made of the exact same material as her suit.

She shifted her gaze to her suit, looking at the small hexagon formation that ran down her costume. Flexible and strong, holding firm even when she slid her claws across it. She had never encountered anything like it before, and the only answer she had for it was magic. She turned away from the mirror, glancing around the bathroom, wondering if there was any way out besides the door.

The window was small, tucked up near the ceiling. Basically inaccessible for the average student, but with a simple draw of her baton the magic staff propelled her up to the glass exit. With a grunt she forced it open, slipping out the narrow exit– vaulting off towards the Eiffel Tower before she had the chance to think this out and change her mind.

She was a bit more confident than yesterday as she made herself across the Paris rooftops. She only hesitated to leap when it came to wider roads, but she made her way across alleys and gaps with ease. Her braid flicked out behind her, giving her a balance that she could only dream of as Marinette.

Finding her way to the Eiffel Tower should have been simple enough given the fact that it was the Eiffel Tower, but her navigation was made easier due to the giant black mass that appeared above it, easily standing out against the blue sky as she vaulted across rooftops. That was ominous enough on its own, and of course Cameraman's voice echoing from every person's phone on the street and TV in every house she passed only added to the effect. She had no idea what to expect– the concept of Stoneheart had been straightforward– giant stone creature rampaging, but this seemed to be a different sort of 'champion'.

As she drew closer she was able to make out that the mass of black seemed to be a projection of some kind, holographic with no physical form, just round and floating there ominously. Many people had gathered– multiple police vehicles gathered about the tower, and several helicopters circling overhead. Law enforcement were attempting to keep people back, but still there was a large crowd and news reporting.

Standing up on one of the beams of the tower was a black figure, and judging by the unusually blocky head it was clear that this was Cameraman himself. He held something long in one hand, and at his side was a much more human-shaped figure. Lady Noire drew her staff, ready to jump down and get a closer look, when she heard light footsteps off to her right.

"Hello, Lady," Crimson Beetle said, swinging his yoyo about as he drew near. "Didn't expect us to meet up again so soon."

"Thought we'd be able to catch more of a break," she said with a weak smile, glancing out towards the tower. "I mean, what even if that thing?"

"My kwami says the Butterfly's champions can be just about anything," Crimson replied. "But the game plan should be the same– find the object and cleanse the butterfly."

She nodded, hands tightening around her staff slightly. "Yeah... we got this."

"Chin up, m'lady!" Crimson said, throwing his yoyo as far as he could. "You saw how we did yesterday– this will be a piece of cake!"

He gave her a salute as his yoyo string went taut, and she couldn't help but giggle as his eyes went wide as he was suddenly yanked away from their perch. He quickly recovered, swinging through the air with ease, and she vaulted after him with her extended staff. She let herself hold her head high, reminding herself that they could do this as they approached the tower.

She landed next to Crimson near the edges of the crowd, well aware of the whispers that broke out as they appeared. She couldn't help but look about, some looking at them in eagerness, others in relief, though others showed nothing but worry. Crimson pushed forward without pause though, the crowd parting for him as he made his way towards the front where the police were holding everyone back.

"Do you know what's going on?" One of the officers asked as they approached.

"It's the same phenomenon as yesterday," Crimson replied. "We got this."

"That creature has our producer!" Someone from one of the news crew shouted. "He's up on the tower with it– you have to do something!"

"What's happening to our city?"

"What are they? Who are you?"

The questions were thrown at them from every angle, and Lady could feel the hairs on her back rising. Her breath got caught in her throat, and she didn't know what to do. She had never been one for the spotlight, and with the almost accusing tones that were being thrown at them she couldn't help but tense. Crimson somehow seemed unfazed, stepping through the police barrier, and she moved to follow after him, when a hand fell on her shoulder.

"Oh no you don't," a voice growled, and she turned as she found that it was Officer Raincomprix that had stopped her. "We don't need you going anywhere near the Eiffel Tower."

"I, um–?"

"I saw what you did to the stadium yesterday," he grunted, a firm grasp on her shoulder. "You're not getting near this city's monument."

"Crimson Beetle! Lady Noire!" A loud voice declared, and all eyes turned up towards the Eiffel Tower, where Cameraman proudly stood. "I'm glad you made it– just in time for the show!"

The black mass above the tower churned, causing the crowd behind them to let out a frightened gasp. Lady Noire pulled herself free from the officer's grip, hurrying to stand next to Crimson as they watched something take form above them. The black energy then rippled, an image appearing within it.

It appeared to be a closeup of the tower, of the man Cameraman had at his side. His wrists were bound with what appeared to be electrical cords. It seemed to be a live feed of the camera that made up Cameraman's head, and she was now able to make out the item in his hand was a boom mic.

"My dear boss fired me yesterday for being unable to capture footage related to the rampaging Stoneheart," Cameraman declared, jabbing the boom mic under his chin, forcing him to look into the camera. "But today he'll get a front row seat to the most news-worthy footage, captured by yours truly. Ladies and gentlemen, children and heroes, allow me to introduce yourself to the new top story of the hour– Monarch!"

The black mass rippled once more, shifting away from what Cameraman's lens was capturing, to the image of an eerie dark room, a figure standing in the center. Whispering broke out around them as the masked woman looked straight at them, a faint smile pulling at her lips.

"People of Paris," Monarch's voice was soft, though it echoed out from the tower. "I am Monarch, and I have come to personally apologize for what you have been put through in these last twenty-four hours, but I am afraid I had no choice."

"The Butterfly?" Crimson whispered softly.

"Undoubtedly," Lady replied.

It was hard to make out Monarch completely, as the room she appeared to be in was draped in shadows. Small white butterflies fluttered past her, the same creature Crimson had released yesterday after purifying it. Monarch's long hair fell past her shoulders, brushing against the deep purple dress she wore. Pinned to her chest was a purple brooch, strips of lavender material flared out from it, resembling butterfly wings. A mask of a similar style rested across her face, and clasped in her hands was a cane.

"Crimson Beetle, Lady Noire, this battle was not one that was meant to begin," Monarch said. "And you do not have to let it go on. If you hand over your Miraculouses to me right now then this will all be over. I will send out no more akumas, nor force anyone else to do my bidding. The choice is simple, either let Paris have its peace, or let this city become a battleground. Do not let this city suffer more than it has to."

Silence filled the plaza, and Lady took a step forward.

"Don't you dare!" She shouted. "Don't you dare try to pin this on us– not when you're the one transforming these people! Making them attack the innocent!"

Monarch let out a small chuckle. "And are you talking about yourself when you say innocent, little lady? I saw what you did yesterday– impressive power, though it makes me wonder why Citrine would pick a Black Cat that can't even control their Destruction." She tilted her head. "It's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt from such influence, Lady Noire."

Lady felt silent, taking in a sharp breath. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up into Crimson's concerned green eyes.

"She's right," Lady Noire whispered, voice wavering slightly. "I had no control over it. If there had been people in those stands they would've been hurt, or worse– I shouldn't be–"

Crimson grabbed her shoulder, voice quiet, but sure. "No, she's wrong– without you I wouldn't have stood a chance yesterday, and Stoneheart would have won that fight. I didn't even know what to do with my own Lucky Charm! So don't you dare listen to a word she says. Without you, without us this city isn't going to make it– trust me on this, okay?"

Lady blinked as his words, his firm yet gentle voice instantly talking her down from her encroaching panic. She took in a deep breath, giving him a small nod to show she was okay. Her uneasiness was still there, but so was her focus, instead of spiraling away into her panic like she so often did. All eyes were on them, but Crimson and Lady only fixed their gazes up at the tower, drawing their weapons.

"How sweet," Monarch cooed. "But a real shame. I had hoped to settle this peacefully."

Crimson spun his yoyo around. "I think all of us know peace isn't what you have in mind with our Miraculouses!"

Monarch's eyes narrowed. "Foolish child, fighting a battle that isn't even yours. But if that's how you wish to play it..." A purple mask highlighted her face, and a glowing one of the same color fell over Cameraman's. "My little akuma, they're all yours. Claim the ring and earrings, and your story will be making headlines for weeks to come."

If Cameraman had a mouth, he would probably be grinning. "Of course, Monarch."

He then slammed the tip of his boom mic down against the beam he was on, and the writhing dark mass that made up the hologram of Monarch vanished in a flash of light. The man bound at Cameraman's side writhed, turning the attention of the so-called 'akuma' away for a moment.

"The butterfly has to be in the boom mic or the camera head, right?" Lady whispered to Crimson.

"Hopefully the boom mic," he replied. "I think we need to get his prisoner away from him first though, we can't let him get hurt."

"I'll see what I can do," Lady said, eyes scanning the tower. Her costume should help her blend into the shadows, while Crimson's was much more bold. "See if you can distract him, and get the boom mic away from him if possible."

"Should I summon a charm?" He asked, and she hesitated at the question. Why was he asking her? What if she said something wrong that cost them the battle? What was his power even, exactly? It probably wouldn't be a bowling ball every time, but what would it be this time?

"Wait until we get the guy to safety," she finally said, a slight waver in her tone. Crimson nodded, and then without hesitation he charged forward. She ran after him, well aware the entire city was watching them as they rushed towards the tower.

Crimson Beetle tossed his yoyo up towards one of the beams of the tower, using it to drag himself upwards. He landed easily on a beam, his voice easily carrying across the tower. "You want our Miraculouses? Then come and get them, you old scrap of film!"

Cameraman sneered, then waved his boom mic. Thick wires began to coil at his feet, before rushing down at Crimson. He let out a small yelp, taking off running as they chased after him, letting out a small giggle as he found himself running up the side of a beam with ease. A single toss of his yoyo carried him away from the cords' grasp, and with a snarl Cameraman summoned more to carry him towards the Ladybug hero.

Lady Noire was discovering for herself just how keen her climbing skills were when transformed, having started at the base of the tower, working her way up along the opposite side that Crimson was taking on the so-called akuma. At first she just used her baton to help her move from beam to beam, but it wasn't long before she felt an itch at her skin and a presence in her mind. There was no way to truly describe it save for the fact that this all felt wrong. Logic told her that none of this was safe in the first place and she was climbing way too high, but her mind simply felt the urge to move– which is what she gave in to.

Her baton soon found itself hooked to her side, fingers curling slightly as they pressed against the slick metal. She jumped far higher than was natural, her claws dug into the beams to help her as she climbed, her braid flicking out behind her. It wasn't long before she found herself on the same level the captured news producer was on, and she landed crouched on all fours. The man looked at her, clearly panicked, and Lady's blue eyes flickered down towards the fight below.

Crimson had the full attention of Cameraman, his yoyo spinning swiftly, acting as a shield as cords lashed out towards him. Lady returned her gaze to the man, pushing herself to her feet as she moved towards him. She had to force herself not to look down, simply kneeling behind him as she tried to break the wires tying him up. She tugged at them, but they held firm, and while she felt the urge to lash out with her claws she was afraid of hitting him in the process.

"Help me," the man whispered. "Caleb's gone absolutely insane."

She looked down at her ringed hand, a glowing green paw print looking up at her. With simply muttering the words she could summon destruction and disintegrate the cords with a touch– but memories of yesterday flashed through her mind. The stadium crumbling, everything wilting around her, the Cataclysm having webbed out beyond her control. What would happen if it hit a human? Crumbled the tower? What would happen to the crowds below?

So instead she scooped him up without thought, startling even herself as she picked up the adult, and drew her baton. She glanced down over the side, then gave the man a small smile as his eyes widened further. "Hold on tight."

With that she jumped over the edge, extending her baton. The man let out a cry as they fell, while Lady grunted in frustration as he shifted in her grasp. He was going to throw them off balance and ruin their landing! She tapped the button on her baton as they plummeted, the metal staff expanding out below them. She tightened her grip on the man, tensing as the baton collided with the ground. It was not a gentle landing, the staff jarring under her from the speed and distance they had fallen, jerking them out of their fall.

A part of her knew that at the rate they had been falling she shouldn't have been able to recover so easily. Even though her shoulders ached it should have been much worse, maybe even thrown out of their socket with such force. The man shivered in her grasp as she lowered them towards the ground, and they heard a snarl of frustration.

Cameraman had spotted her with his hostage, and shooting a wave of cords at Crimson he leapt towards her, summoning more wires to raise him up towards their level. Lady swallowed, pressing the button to shrink down the staff, sending them rushing down as several cords lashed out at where they had been moments before. Crimson was spinning his yoyo about, biting his tongue as he lashed out with the yoyo, it snagging on Cameraman's wrist just as Lady touched the ground.

"Here," she said, setting the producer at the feet of several policemen. "See if you can untie him– I need to go help Crimson."

With that she turned on a heel, rushing forward to where Crimson Beetle was being hauled towards Cameraman by his own yoyo. She imagined the akuma would have been grinning if he had a face, but yet as Crimson was pulled in close he pulled a hand back– punching him right in the lens. The akuma let out a yowl, his grip on the yoyo loosening– meaning that Crimson Beetle's support was gone. A loud gasp echoed through the crowd as he fell from the tower.

Lady rushed forward, propelling herself into the air with her baton to catch him– and as she grabbed him they both went tumbling towards the ground. They rolled aways, but both swiftly rose back to their feet, their suits having taken the worst of the fall. Cameraman was up in the air supported by his cords, clutching the front of his camera head, seemingly still recovering from the punch.

"Remind me never to do that again," Crimson muttered, shaking his hand. "We need to get that boom mic– think you can destroy those cords?"

Lady shivered. "But there's so many people here– what if it gets out of control again? Hits the tower–?"

She didn't get to finish, the two of them were forced to jump apart as another wave of electrical cords were sent flying at them. They stared up at Cameraman, whose platform of wires writhed under his feet like hundreds of angry snakes. He swung his boom mic to the side, causing them to carry him down towards Lady. She swiftly vaulted over them, heart pounding.

"Lucky Charm!" Crimson shouted, throwing his yoyo up into the air.

A burst of pink light flashed above him as Lady blocked a blow from Cameraman's boom mic, and she noticed that the akuma's lens was cracked from Crimson's punch. She extended her baton, using it to propel herself as she jumped backwards. Her heart jumped as she felt coils wrapping around her– having leapt straight into a mass of the electrical cords. Lady immediately fought against the grasp, but more simply sprang out of the ground, one wrapping tightly around her wrist with her baton, her other arm being pinned to the side as coils wrapped around her torso, suspending her in the air. She let out a gasp as they painfully tightened about her.

Cataclysm. She could break free with Cataclysm– but as she opened her mouth to speak she found the words choking in her throat. Images of the collapsing stadium flashed in her mind, and her eyes could only focus on the crowd watching the fight. She couldn't speak, she couldn't risk the destructive energy slipping from her control once more–

A loud cry interrupted her thoughts, a flash of red rushing below her. Lady Noire jerked her head down, watching as Crimson Beetle charged at the coils of wires suspending her in the air, his Lucky Charm clutched in his hands. He swung the bright red staff about, the metal blade on the end gleaming in the sunlight, slicing through the wires as if they were nothing.

The moment the cords were severed they seemed to lose whatever connection they had to Cameraman, her bonds loosening as she fell towards the ground. She let out a slight grunt as she fell, landing in a pair of strong arms as the wires raining down around them. Crimson looked down at her with a blindingly white smile, green eyes gleaming.

"Looks like you're falling for me, hmm?" He said with a grin as he set her on her feet, readjusting his Lucky Charm, which she now saw was a bright red scythe covered in black dots.

Cameraman let out a hiss, summoning more coils below his feet to raise him up higher into the air. Crimson swung the scythe about like it was a sword a few times, and with a jab of his boom mic Cameraman sent the cords rushing down at them. Crimson lowered himself into a charging position, slashing with his scythe, cutting through them with ease. He charged forward as he carved a path, and after a moment Lady Noire followed after him, ignoring her forming bruises.

A well timed slice slashed through the base of the cords that supported Cameraman, the wires crumbling as they were severed from his control, the akuma falling towards the streets alongside the wires. More of them burst up from the street, cement cracking as he tried to break his own fall, but Crimson seemed ready for this.

He sprang forward, his focus no longer on fighting the akuma head on– but keeping him from gaining the advantage once more as he destroyed the cords. He seemed much more confident with the weapon the Lucky Charm had given him than he was with his yoyo– Cameraman letting out a cry as he hit the ground.

Crimson pounced on him at once, ripping the boom mic from his grasp as he wrestled him to the ground. The forming wires sagged with the boom mic no longer in his grasp, the akuma lashing out against the Ladybug hero.

"Lady!" Crimson cried, scythe abandoned as he forced Cameraman to the ground. "Break it!"

She rushed forward towards the fallen boom mic, leaping over the thick electric cords that littered the ground. The item felt much lighter in her hands than it should have, and she stared down at her ring as she scooped it up. Much like the cords she knew she could destroy it with a single word, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.

So instead she brought the boom mic down over her knee, snapping it half, a small black butterfly fluttering out from within.

Black bubbling energy appeared around Cameraman, fading away to reveal a young man kneeling on the ground, and Crimson loosening his grip on him. He blinked slowly, looking out in confusion at the crowd that had gathered around the tower. Lady watched as his eyes grew wide at the many thick cords that had sprouted up from the ground, cracks in the sidewalk, and the police that had gathered pressing close.

There was silence for a moment, only broken as Crimson Beetle's yoyo zipped out, snagging the butterfly as it fluttered away. It seemed the whole city was holding its breath as he released it from the yoyo, a pure white butterfly soaring up into the air.

Beetle was panting as he drew closer to Lady, his scythe was clutched tightly in his hands, before he tossed it up into the air. The man that had once been Cameraman flinched at the action, pink light pouring from the Lucky Charm as Crimson Beetle called out:

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

The Lucky Charm burst into a wave of energy just as it had yesterday, sweeping out across the tower and the crowd. Though Alya had caught the healing light on video yesterday, still people stepped back as it washed over them, gasping slightly. Lady closed her eyes as it touched her, easing the bruises the battle had inflicted on her.

The wires vanished under the touch, the cracks in the cement sealing up as if nothing had been there. The bonds on the producer melted away into nothing– the pink light spiraling about them, looking as if time was turning back with each thing it touched. Murmurs echoed out across the crowd, all eyes falling back to Crimson as the Miraculous Ladybugs faded.

The boom mic in Lady's hand mended itself, morphing into a pink slip. She frowned down at it, eyes scanning the words that declared the man fired. She glanced over at Caleb, who was shivering on the ground, clearly having no idea what had happened. She slowly made her way towards him, placing the paper in his hand.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly, her words barely heard over the cheer that suddenly rang out around them.

"What happened?" Caleb whispered, accepting Lady Noire's hand as she pulled him to his feet.

"You were... akumatized," she said after a moment of thought. "Controlled by someone abusing their powers, but it's over now."

He didn't reply, just breathing heavily.

"What should we do with him?" A deep voice said, and Lady looked up to see several police officers approaching, several more keeping reporters at bay who were attempting to move forward.

Crimson came to her side. "I think that's easy– get him home."

One of the officers looked at him. "But he just–"

"Any action he made was Monarch's fault," Lady said, cutting them off with a glare. "He had no control over himself– he doesn't even remember what happened!"

"That doesn't change the fact that he kidnapped a man, caused damage to a monument, and attacked the both of you–"

"I believe the lady said that this wasn't his fault," Crimson said, a slight growl in his voice. "The only one who did such was Monarch– as if she didn't make that clear with the message she gave today."

The officers looked among themselves for a moment, hesitating, then one held out a hand towards Caleb. "Come on sir, we have a few questions we need to ask you, then we'll get you home."

He hesitated, but made his way forward to the police. They led the man away, circling about him as the gathered crowd began shouting– questions, demands– but it was all drowned together in their cries. And with the police escorting the former akuma away, there was no one standing between the heroes and the reporters.

Lady had no time to react– several microphones being shoved into her and Crimson's face the moment the path to them was clear. She took a step back, eyes wide, not knowing how to react as questions were thrown at them.

"Who are you guys?"

"What is happening in our city?"

"What are the sources of these... these powers?"

"Is this magic? Advanced technology?"

"Who is Monarch, and what does she want?"

She stood still like a deer in the headlights, the questions going in one ear and out the other. She had no idea what to do in the moment– yet somehow Crimson seemed unfazed by the spotlight that had suddenly been thrust upon them, looking mildly annoyed if anything, though his gaze softened into a simple smile.

"I'm afraid we don't have time to answer these questions," Crimson said, hand on Lady's shoulder– his touch seeming to restore some life to her. She moved with him as he guided her forward, the crowd parting as they moved. "But just know that if Monarch is to attack this city again, we'll be there to stop her. Ready to go, m'lady?"

Crimson held out his hand to her, and Lady didn't hesitate in taking it. His earrings were chirping, only having minutes until he turned back– though the paw print on her ring remained a steady glow. The moment her hand touched his he pulled her in close, eyes widening in surprise as she was suddenly pressed flush to the Ladybug hero, who threw his yoyo– whisking them up into the air and away from the crowd.

"Sorry about that," Crimson said as they landed on a nearby rooftop, letting her go. "But if we had stuck around to answer questions they would have had us there all night." He glanced back at the crowd, who were still watching them, cameras and phones trailed on them. "Let's go, I'm going to turn back soon," he looked at her, smiling. "Though we should definitely meet up sometime– when there isn't a fight going on."

"Yeah," Lady replied, still slightly dazed from everything that had just happened, but she forced herself to sit up a bit straighter. "We never know when Monarch will send out another of those akumas..." She touched her ring. "She said she wanted our Miraculouses, didn't she? How did she know that we had them? How did we even get them?"

"Tikki said that I was 'chosen'," Crimson said with a frown, throwing his yoyo once more, and Lady followed after him with her baton as they vaulted across rooftops. "I think that's another good reason to avoid reporters for now– if even we don't have a full story."

His earrings started beeping faster.

"You should go," Lady Noire said. "Let's talk to our kwamis, see what we can find out, then we can talk more next time."

"Sounds like a plan," Crimson said, and he held up a fist. "Awesome work today– pound it?"

"Pound it," she replied, returning the fist bump.

He then gave her a bow. "Until we meet again, m'lady."

A laugh threatened to escape her as he tossed his yoyo once more, the end snagging on a nearby building as he swung away. Lady watched him go, Crimson stumbling a bit as he landed on another roof, but took off once more just as quickly as before. She couldn't help but smile, something about his presence feeling so right despite this being only their second meeting. Those thoughts were whisked away as she touched her ring, the weight of what had happened and what exactly they were in for just beginning to settle down on her.

There was someone out there, after them. Well, after their Miraculouses, but clearly this 'Monarch' was willing to do what she could to get a hold of them. She bit her lip as she extended her baton, taking a moment to locate which way was home from up on the roofs, before vaulting off in that direction.

She had been handed magical powers and asked to protect a city. No warning, no training, nothing– just told to go fight without questions. She had no idea how this Miraculous had fallen into her possession, or why she had been chosen.

Her heart tightened at that word, Crimson had used it when discussing who she assumed was his kwami, but Plagg had said no such thing about her. But yet that made sense– because who would have chosen clumsy Marinette to fight evil? It sounded horrible on paper, and apparently was just as bad in action. Crimson had been the one to win this battle, and she couldn't even control her own destructive powers– let alone even talk to the press! Two days in a row there had been an attack... was that how it was going to be everyday? How long would it be until she somehow messes everything up?

She landed on her balcony, slinking over to her deck chair, sinking into it as these thoughts plagued her. The task before her now seemed much more intimidating, even more than it had when she had first found the magic ring.

Magic. Magic was real.

She wanted to laugh, not knowing what else to do– it all seemed so ridiculous. Something that always sounded so wonderful in a story now stared her down as a real and true threat– and apparently she wasn't allowed to say a word about it to anybody? Well, almost anybody...

"Plagg, claws in," Lady Noire said softly, and green energy flared around her as the suit faded.

"Cheese!" The kwami said the moment he flew out of the ring, green eyes locking on her.

"I don't have any on me," she said, sinking deeper into her chair.

Plagg scowled. "Then go get me some– you want to have the powers, then you gotta feed the one giving them to you." He eyed her. "Hey– why didn't you use your Cataclysm in the fight? You had the opportunity– multiple times!"

She hesitated. "It's... it's dangerous, isn't it?"

"Of course it's dangerous!" Plagg snorted. "It's Destruction– but if you use it right then you can actually do something more than some acrobatics."

Marinette shivered. "But... but I can't control it..."

Plagg rolled his eyes again. "Oh, don't tell me you're listening to Monarch, of course you can control it. Now hand over the cheese."

"I couldn't last time though!"

Plagg hovered there in the air, looking annoyed– but then let out a resigned sigh. He floated down so he was on her level, face to face. "Kid, look, none of that was your fault. Usually people have more time to learn about their powers before being thrown into a fight, and you didn't."

She shook her head. "I could've hurt people."

"Yeah, you could have," Plagg said, flicking his tail. "In the same way Monarch could be helping people. Wanna know what the difference is? It's what you've chosen to do with your power." He zipped down, tapping the ring. "My Miraculous ain't handed out randomly, so believe me when I say you were picked for a reason."

Marinette stared at him, holding her Miraculous close to her chest. "...Pick by who?"

"Meh," Plagg stretched out. "I don't care for details. But I could use some cheese. Cataclysm or not transforming still takes energy. So some camembert would be appreciated."

She closed her eyes. "We don't have any camembert, you know that."

"Then I'll accept some swiss or something, for now." The kwami crossed his paws, looking at her with narrowed eyes. "So? You gonna grab my cheese or not?"

She pushed herself to her feet, eyeing the kwami closely as she made her way to her skylight, opening it up and slipping into her room. It had been only for a moment, but it was reassuring to see something other than disinterest coming from her new companion. His words had calmed her panic somewhat, though doubts still lingered in her mind.

She would add camembert to the shopping list when she got the chance.