"People of Paris!" Mayor Bourgeois addressed the crowd gathered in the park for a very important historical event, "It is with great honor that we all gather here today to express our love and gratitude to the brave, young heroes who dedicate their lives to keep our streets safe from the forces of evil, day and night! Team Miraculous!"
The Mayor pulled down the rope, removing the tarp covering the bronze statues of Team Miraculous. Everyone cheered and took pictures. Among them was a certain blue-haired fan and top supporter of the heroes of Paris.
To the crowd's surprise, Team Miraculous appeared from behind their respective statues, making the crowd cheer and take photos of the true originals.
As he waves, Chat Noir beamed when he saw Marinette among the crowd taking his picture or asking for an exclusive interview. The sight of his Princess present in this momentous moment made Chat's heart soar. He just wants to approach her and wrap an arm on her shoulder. They'd look each other in the eyes, the crowd non-existing in their little world, and they'd...
Chat's fantasy bubble was popped when Ladybug latched on his arm and kissed his cheek. Right in front of the cameras.
"Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!" Chloe angrily rants after reading the headlines:
"LadyNoir: The Miraculous Power Couple."
Everyone in Paris went crazy after watching the short video of Ladybug kissing Chat Noir. That one video made everyone think that the leader of Team Miraculous was romantically involved with his second-in-command.
Adrien and his friends were not liking the fact that this was the biggest news everyone was talking about. Lila, was actually the opposite; pleased at herself for making the top news with Adrien.
Even Gabriel was displeased with Lila's actions. He knew of her, intentions, with her son, and that she will jump at every opportunity just to get him close to her.
And it's because of those intentions many people are akumatized.
He knew what she did during the statue unveiling was so she can keep Marinette away from Chat Noir and make the young fan lose all interest in him. He just hopes it didn't escalate to her or any other fan to get akumatized.
Unfortunately, (and not surprisingly) it did.
There was a new top story: "Team Miraculous... crossed over to the Dark Side?!"
The Team couldn't believe their eyes. The news was showing museum security footages of Team Miraculous stealing priceless paintings.
But Team Miraculous weren't at the museum. Team Miraculous were in a rich fashion icon's mansion watching the news about Team Miraculous robbing the bank!
The Team panic, wondering how they could have stolen from the museum. While her teammates argued over other-world doppelgängers conspiracy theories, Sabrina took a closer look at the security footages.
It did look like Team Miraculous was robbing the museum... but if you look closer, you'd notice that in every footage, there's a member of Team Miraculous.
And not a single footage showed the Team, or even a pair, together...
When she pointed this out to the others, they calmed down and theorized that they were dealing with a copycat akuma that could transform into all 6 members of Team Miraculous.
Determined to clear their names, the Team transformed and set off to track down the villain in order to purify him. Or her.
Unfortunately, they forgot to consider the fact that when there's a robbery, the suspects in question should not return to the scene of the crime. Even if they are innocent of said crime.
She'd be lying if she said she wasn't upset when she saw Ladybug kiss Chat Noir on the cheek.
But she eventually got over it, knowing the fact that Chat Noir only sees Ladybug as a fellow teammate.
It was all thanks to the videos she gathered and the many times she had witnessed Team Miraculous act up close.
Many times she has seen Ladybug flirt with Chat Noir, sometimes even fighting over him with Queen Bee. He'd reject their advances many times, and would rather focus on saving the day instead.
If it was possible... he'd have better chances with Rena Rouge, or Azula Paonne.
When she saw the latest Team Miraculous news, her eyes widened in disbelief. There was absolutely, no way, Team Miraculous stole from the museum!
Soon, she was notified of a live news update. The police were chasing after Team Miraculous after they made a second attempt to steal from the museum.
This got Marinette wondering. Why on earth would Team Miraculous return to the scene of the crime? Surely they knew the cops were waiting for them if they got there, right?
Marinette recognized the buildings where the chase was being taped. They were in her neighborhood.
She immediately climbed to the top of the roof. She had just opened the hatch when something crashed on the roof. Seconds later, the dust cleared, revealing Team Miraculous.
By the time the police helicopter arrived at the area where Team Miraculous were last seen, Team Miraculous were no longer there.
They should have known better. They were framed, yet they still went to the scene of the crime. Once they were spotted, the police gave chase. They tried to lose the cops by splitting up in order to detransform, but their plan was ruined.
Ladybug was looking for a secluded area when she was stopped by Chat Noir, who gave her a hug. She suppressed an internal scream of delight that could've shattered every glass in Paris. She won...! Adrien is now-!
A yellow blur tackled her. When she regained her senses, Queen Bee was on top of her and there were two Chat Noirs in front of them...!
As it turns out, the Chat Noir who hugged Ladybug was an imposter. A shape-shifting imposter. The Butterflies akumatized a civilian and gave him/her the power to impersonate all members of Team Miraculous. That's how they were able to trick everyone into thinking Team Miraculous robbed the museum.
Team Miraculous had no choice but to regroup in order to take down the imposter and clear their names.
Unfortunately for the heroes... Copycat made them use up their superpowers. Which gives the heroes five minutes to find a secluded area to detransform.
Rena Rouge was the last one who didn't use her superpower.
Until she has to use it to help the Team escape. Which led them to crash on her best friend's roof. The next thing they knew, they were in Marinette's room, and their detransformation countdown has now reached 0...
Everyone braced themselves for a glass-shattering fangirl scream.
It never happened. Instead, they felt a large blanket draped over them. Alya slightly lifted her side of the blanket so that Marinette wouldn't see her face, and so that she can see what her best friend was doing.
Marinette wasn't looking at them. She was busy rummaging through her closet and boxes. When she found what she was looking for, she tossed them at the Team and kept her eyes closed until they were finished.
When she could finally open her eyes, Team Miraculous were now disguised... awkwardly.
"I knew I should've taken the helmet." Alya, who was dressed in a frilly clown costume and a bird mask, remarked glumly.
Her teammates shared the same reactions with the random mashed-up costumes they were wearing in order to conceal their identities.
Marinette's eyes sparkled with so much glee at the sight of her heroes wearing the costumes she made, "I'm so glad I saved those... It's a dream come true...!"
Chloe, who wore a pink ballgown, sunglasses, and a black shawl that covered her head, blinked, "You predicted the day we inconveniently enter your room in the verge of detransforming and you have disguises prepared for us so that you won't have to see our true identities out of respect for us despite the urge that you are desperate to find out?"
Marinette gleefully nodded.
"I... don't know if I should insult that... or not..." Chloe admitted, confused.
"And you have no regrets helping a bunch of criminals evade the police?" Nino asked while keeping the large sombrero on his head from falling off.
"You guys aren't criminals." Marinette defended, "It's another one of those Butterflies' victims. I wonder what got him/her akumatized into a shape-shifting villain?"
Adrien glared behind the snorkel he was wearing, "Yeah... We wonder..."
All disguised heads turned to Lila.
Everyone was glad Marinette went downstairs to grab snacks. That would give them some peace to plan their next move, and then indulge in some Dupain-Cheng delicacies.
Sabrina adjusted the white sunhat Marinette lent her as she reviewed the video the police retrieved from the museum security cam showing Chat Noir casually entering the museum minutes before he grabbed the Mona Lisa painting.
She noticed he was chewing on something. Upon closer look, it looked like a lollipop stick.
A lollipop... During the statue unveiling, she noticed someone sucking on a lollipop: the sculptor, Theo.
That would explain why the imposter stole all those paintings. But how did-?
"Sorry for the long wait!"
Sabrina beamed as she quickly snatched a peacock feather-themed mille-feuille baked and decorated in honor of her superhero persona. Ever since the Evillustrator incident, the delectable blue and green pastry has became her favourite treat/snack/dessert. The same can be said to her teammates as they each grabbed the pastry in honor of their heroic persona.
Of course... there were times they would sometimes fight over each others' favourite treats...
Marinette smiled as she watches her heroes enjoy her family's baked goods. As much as she wants to take a picture of Team Miraculous unmasked, she couldn't, as she could ruin them and make them easy targets for the Butterflies with just a fangirlish scream of their actual names.
"Do you know the artist who made our statues?" Sabrina asked.
"Theo?" Marinette replied, "Yeah. He does more than art. My family even calls him for delivery now and then. He did an awesome job with your statues and nailed all those tiny details, especially the noses."
"Not all the details." Lila silently grumbled.
"He must be a big fan too, huh?" Nino pointed out.
"Yeah." Marinette recalls, "One time, he insisted we pay him in Ladybug cookies."
This got the heroes' attention.
"Ladybug cookies?" Adrien repeated.
"Yeah. Ladybug's his favourite hero." Marinette confirms, "He posts a lot of artwork of her on my blog."
That explains everything. Theo wasn't a big fan of LadyNoir.
"You wouldn't happen to know where he lives, do you?" Nino asked.
"I may also have an idea where he's keeping all those stolen paintings." Marinette admitted, surprising the heroes, "He has a warehouse that acts as his personal art studio."
He wish he had kept Marinette's snorkel...
They managed to find the warehouse. Carapace, Chat and Bee were going after Copycat. The others were going to keep an eye out for any potential threat until they are called for back-up.
"Good Kitty."
They knew that voice.
From their hiding place, the trio could see Copycat taking the form of Chat Noir. For some strange reason, there was a table with a tablecloth draped over it. On top of it was a vase full of flowers and there were two chairs... Oh you have got to be kidding us.
Mariposa appeared behind Copycat and playfully scratched his (Chat Noir's) chin. Copycat happily purred and allowed her to caress his (Chat's) tail.
The heroes looked away in disgust. Queen Bee even admits she wasn't that desperate.
The trio appeared before Mariposa and Copycat, all giving the former looks of disbelief.
"Really?" Hawk Moth beated Queen Bee to what she was going to say to the younger Butterfly. Underneath his mask, he raised an eyebrow at his protégé.
The room suddenly turned dark; the white butterflies covered every area where the light flowed. That didn't stop the heroes and the villains from fighting each other.
When the light returned, Chat pointed to the imposter, "Bee, immobilize him!"
"No Bee!" Copycat(?) waved his hands defensively, "It's me! I'm the real Chat!"
"He's the imposter!" Chat(?) protested.
Queen Bee didn't activate her superpower. She was afraid she'd make a mistake and hurt her friend.
Luckily, she didn't have to; Carapace tackled Chat/Copycat(?) to the ground. Then, the white butterflies made the room dark once more. When the light returned, there were two Carapaces.
Rena tackled the Carapace who was on top of the other. Just as she was about to punch him, he said something to her that only Nino would say. She realized just in time to kick Copycat on the chest just as he was about to knock her out with Carapace's shield.
The lights vanished and returned again. This time there were two Azula Paonnes.
The fake and true original fought against each other. The other heroes didn't want to hurt the true Azula, but they don't know who was who.
Chat gave a very cat-like grin. He grabs Ladybug and pulled her close so that their heads could touch. This attracted the attention of one of the Azula Paonnes, who gave a displeasing growl, and who got tackled by the heroes.
When the Team noticed there was only one Azula Paonne, they got up, only to find another Queen Bee.
The two Queen Bees fought. One Queen Bee grabbed one of the stolen paintings to use as a shield. The other Queen Bee then took it away from her, holding it protectively while scolding her opponent for doing harm to a Raoul Dufy original.
It was so obvious who the real Queen Bee, since the real one has no taste and knowledge in art, and had a C+ in a test which includes various well-known painters. (Sorry Queenie.)
Rena Rouge tackled the fake Bee. When the dust cleared, two Rena Rouges.
One Rena Rouge played her(?) flute and created multiple illusionary copies of Team Miraculous that almost filled the entire warehouse.
Using their weapons, the Team dispelled the illusions. Fake Rena Rouge was no longer around, but there was another Ladybug.
"My worst nightmare... realized." Queen Bee cringed.
Both Ladybugs activated their Lucky Charms. One Ladybug got a black-spotted red fork, while the other got a hook in the same color. Both Ladybugs have the same, confuse look on their faces after receiving their Lucky Charms.
Chat knew just what to do in order to find out which one was Copycat.
"Sorry girls." He wraps an arm around Queen Bee, "I'm taken."
One Ladybug gaped in disbelief while the other screamed with glee, and eventually got wrapped up in Queen Bee's trompo.
Queen Bee sighed in disappointment, knowing what Chat said was only to get Copycat to reveal himself.
"Next time you're trying to look for a boyfriend... read a magazine." Rena Rouge told Mariposa after they purified Theo.
"I'm with her." Hawk Moth agreed, "For once."
Mariposa rolled her eyes as they disappeared in a swarm of white butterflies.
Theo hung his head in guilt, "I'm sorry. I should've accepted it like a man."
Chat nudged Ladybug, giving her a demanding look. Ladybug had no choice but to tell Theo the truth in order to mend his heartbreak.
It was great that the heroes' names were cleared, but how on earth did they get this?!
Lila gritted her teeth as she and the Team watched a video of Ladybug telling Theo that she and Chat were just friends. FRIENDS!
Apparently, someone recorded her confession and sent it, along with a video of the Team taking down Copycat, to TVi studios. They broadcasted the videos, and now everyone thinks she and Chat are just friends!
"If this is Marinette's doing... I would give her a very big, long Queen Bee hug." Chloe beamed.
Lila glared at her. Whoever did this, she's going to hang on top of the Eiffel Tower with her yo-yo.
"You think she saw our 'Thank You' present?" Sabrina asked.
A familiar scream echoed throughout the entire school. Seconds later, the students and faculty were gathered in the girls' locker room where they found Marinette lying on the ground. Stars were in her eyes, and a wide smile was plastered on her face. Both her arms were raised, holding her phone in the air.
On the screen was a video message from Team Miraculous, telling her what a great, and loyal fan she is.