First on and then at the others, here it is! And a shout out to sheepheadfred, you've seen a little behind my curtain with your thoughts, I wonder will did you pick up on a few hints I've dropped? And we're entering the final arc next chapter, after this the next part of the series will be up and I will change the title so buckle up, the end is here!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Captain Hardrock scowled as the four born Bees hovered and pulled up one of the dead River Krakens, once they had started to do that she had ordered her crew to keep the big one from eating it any way they knew how, Lady Blaze had sent Dark-Phoenix against it as the other bees attacked the Liberty, their canons barely holding the other beasts off.
Captain Hardrock however looked at the dead Two-faced cat monster behind the Queen and scowled, if that giant bee laid two eggs for eating either one of her bees and the Fishmen, then what would something like that let her do? Was it dependent on how much mass her food was? Is it the magic? Still, they were holding their own, but if they broke on these reefs of these bees then that would be it, and who knows how many eggs it would lay if it ate her and her crew?
Frankly, she didn't want to know, but she knew that all she needed to do was keep that giant thing from eating anything else until Chat Noir killed it. As Princess Flora was carried by a vine from the river back to the Liberty her Death-Horn killed another Bee that tried to attack her in transit, the body split in two moments before Princess Flora was dropped next to Captain Hardrock.
Princess Flora looked down at the river, frowning as she raised her right hand and the River Kraken the Bees were after was suddenly pulled back down deeper into the river. The bees flew to the water's edge before they stopped, looking around for anything before they moved towards the dead Two Headed cat.
"All hands fire at will, target is the beast's corpse! Did you talk to them?" Captain Hardrock asked and Princess Flora nodded.
"Yes, they need the new Dragon to get right, and I told them we'd give them five minutes after they kill the big one," Princess Flora said and Captain Hardrock glared at her as a Butterfly mask appeared over her face.
"The Admiral isn't happy that you didn't mention that to him lass," Captain Hardrock said sternly and Princess Flora only giggled. Captairock scowled and looked at the girl, from what memories she had from her source, Princess Flora's e was always one of those people who tried to look at the positive side of life, something Captain Hardrock's source saw as a good thing but if the girl fought to mention part of the plan
"Oh but that's the plan Master Shadowmoth. Yes, I said we would give five-minute before we attack them, but I never said we wouldn't chase t-**hem down," Princess Flora said and Captain Hardrock grinned as the butterfly mask went away.
"He's laughing girly, how do we do this?" Captain Hardrock as Lady Blaze sent a blast of flames at one of the bees as it tried to attack the ship.
Princess Flora looked at the Queen, smiling evilly as her Death-Horn sliced off one of its right arms with a blast. "We need to drive it backward, then they kill it."
A roar from the Queen as it ate the last two remaining first-created bees and two eggs dropped from the Queen's back, two eggs that were picked up and carried away by two of the other bees. As Dark-Phoenix flew after them, a spinning top was thrown and destroyed one egg as the other hatched and flew towards the other battlefield.
"I hope your plan will work beloved!" Lady Blaze called out as she blasted away at the Queen. As Princess Flora sent her Sentimonster to attack the bee, Captain Hardrock gripped the steering wheel and grinned.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
At the other battle site, Ladybug killed another Bee and tensed for a moment before a scream came from within the building.
"Oh god! Help!" Theo cried out and Ladybug jumped back as Pegasus and Carapace moved to help as one of the Sentimonster Pirates joined them.
"What's wrong!?" Carapace called out and The looked at
"One of the women in here is pregnant, the baby's coming!" Theo called out and Ladybug went still, Carapace broke down the door and Pegasus ran into the building, they could all hear a scream of pain from the room the other civilians had retreated to.
The remaining bees attacked the Sentimonsters as they gathered in front of the building, Carapace and Ladybug fighting back as the Bees seemed to be guarding their dead. The answer why was revealed as two more bees appeared and grabbed two corpses, carrying them back toward the river.
"We need to get her out of here!" Ladybug called out as she spun her yoyo around as a shield. "Pegasus, make a portal to the hospital, Carapace keep the bees from getting by you and I'll keep any if they get past you from going through the portal, we'll evacuate the others with her! I'll go and help move her!"
A screech from the river caused the Sentimonsters to look towards it as four bees flew towards them, two of them screeching as they attacked the Sentimonsters before an arrow killed one of them. As the Sentimonster skeleton pirates fought on Carapace defended the doorway, scowling as the new ones aimed their stingers and fired blasts from them.
Screams from inside caused him to wince and look at the Sentimonsters. He took a deep breath and nodded. "Hey Senti-dudes, I'm forming my shield get ready!"
The Sentimonsters nodded as a purple energy butterfly mask formed over one of them and it grinned. "The Captain is almost ready to handle the big one, we'll give you five minutes once the beast is dead!"
"What if they go wild without a controller?" Theo asked and a hard laugh was heard.
"We've got plans for animal control like this! As we speak the rest of the cities SWAT are arming with shotguns and they'll be here soon!" Commissaire Bertolfo called out and Carapace nodded.
As the bees fired again Carapace blocked with his shield before he grinned as he heard a screech from the river.
"Portal!" Pegasus called out and Carapace chuckled.
"Thanks for the help dudes, but I need space so Shell-ter!" Carapace called out before pointing his shield upwards as a large green energy formed, covering the building and pushing the Sentimonsters and the Bees against the building on the other side.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As the Liberty fired from its figure cannon and sails, Captain Hardrock grinned. The plan was working, soon the monster would be slain and then they would chase down the heroes. Suddenly she went still as she saw through her away team's eyes. They were being crushed against the building by Carapace's shield power, and looking around she couldn't see Ladybug anywhere. "What!? What are they doing!?"
"Waiting for/ Princess Flora said and turned to look at Captain Hardrock as Lady Blaze shot another fireball at the Queen, it hit one of the remaining arm on one side and blasted it off, the monster screeched in pain as Dark Phoenix and Death-Horn tackled the monster, holding it in place for Chat Noir, and in the perfect place to grab him once he destroyed the bee.
"NOT THEM, THE ONES AT THE BUILDING!" Captain Hardrock snarled as she looked towards the shore. What are they doing?! Why would they do that now? She thought before the Queen was pushed backward by her ship's volley and it cried out in pain and rage, she turned back and realized that was the signal the heroes were waiting for.
"AIR DRAGON!" A voice called out farther down the river and Chat Noir rose into the air.
"This needs a Cataclysm! Throw me!" Chat Noir cried out before he was shot towards the battle.
Captain Hardrock grinned as she watched Chat Noir arc through the air but she frowned, something didn't look right. Suddenly she turned towards the opposite shore as everything made sense and crystallized. "No…. that's it! Girls, get your monsters towards the far shore look for Ladybug!"
But before Lady Blaze and Princess Flora could do more than turn towards her, Captain Hardrock heard the one cry that she knew was coming.
"Thunder Dragon!" Arashiko called out and within moments she landed on and struck the Queen in her lighting form before she slashed out with her katana and Death-Horn and Dark Phoenix were blasted back towards the water. Chat Noir flew by her with his hand pulled back and all Captain Hardrock could do was wonder how this was possible.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"For this to work, I'll contact Commissaire Bertolfo and have them make a commotion to call you into building Ladybug and Pegasus," Viperion said softly as he looked around and saw everything his plan would need.
Viperion activated his weapon-item's communicator and after a few moments, he was talking to the Commissaire, explaining what he had to do.
"Yeah, we've got someone in here who's a few months pregnant, that'll work! Theo, go ask her to scream in pain and get back here," Commissaire Bertolfo said and Theo nodded and ran off.
"While I'm doing that, River team; move downstream from the battle. Dragon-Girl, once your there use Wind to carry Chat Noir upwards, throw him so he can jump at the Liberty, then shock the Queen and the two flying Sentimonsters to give him cover!"
As Chat Noir led the way, they heard the Liberty attack and grinned at each other
"Remember Pegasus, the field where Kitty Selection had that concert a few weeks back, once it forms go through Ladybug and get that butterfly. All force Go on my SECOND CHANCE!" Viperion said as he formed another arrow and fired.
"Portal!" Pegasus called out as he formed a portal within the room Theo had led him and Ladybug to. As Ladybug jumped through he hoped this would work.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As soon as Chat Noir touched the transformed Liberty, it disintegrated. As Captain Hardrock, Lady Blaze, and Princess Flora fell and turned back to normal Arashiko rode the dead Queen Bee into the river as the other bees dropped as well, and at the same moment, all the Sentimonsters disintegrated. As the corrupted butterfly flew free, Ladybug appeared, jumped over the river, and caught the insect in her yoyo as she flipped over during her jump.
"No more evil-doing for you little butterfly!" She said as she landed on the opposite shore. "Lucky Charm!"
As she threw her yoyo up, it released a blast of energy that coalesced into a small red anchor with black polka-dots all over it. She looked at it and laughed a little before she threw it into the air where it exploded into a swarm of ladybugs that flew around, fixing the damage some of the damage but leaving the bridge destroyed, but the Liberty reformed the same as always, and Anarka, Juleka, and Rose were deposited onto it, Rose stumbled until Juleka caught her.
"Rose!" Juleka cried as she hugged her friend. Rose looked up and smiled at her very good friend and tried to gather her strength back.
"I'm fine Juleka, I just feel so tired. I need to sit down somewhere," Rose said as she struggled to keep her eyes open.
As Chat Noir and Arashiko made it to shore, Apisera dashed back to the area and looked at the destroyed bridge as Carapace dropped the spell, a bit of the damage done by the Monster Bees was still there, here and the bridge ad a hole going through it. As she looked around, Apisera hid a wince as she knew her father hadn't paid the city's Super Villain Insurance since Ladybug's cure worked so well, but then maybe this would be the kick he needed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As Shadowmoth detransformed and Enhancetress turned back to normal, he sighed and shook his head.
"Another disruption! Who was that man? Where did he come from and how long was he down there?" Gabriel muttered as Duusu and Nooroo hugged each other and Duusu looked at his friend before sighing.
"I've fought someone like him before and his powers…. It's the magic of Unlife," Duusu said softly and flew towards Gabriel who looked at the Kwami with a shocked look.
"Explain," Gabriel chocked out and Duusu looked at him and took a deep breath.
"Magic is, it follows its own laws. Unlife magic takes a life form and changes it according to the caster's will. It was considered a Heresy back before the Order took me," Duusu said and went still as Nooroo looked at the kwami who grinned. "The Order took me, the Order TOOK ME!"
Duusu started to laugh and fly around the room, the only sounds he made were that of pure joy. Gabriel and Nathalie looked on and after a few moments they looked at each other and then looked at Nooroo who kept silent but Gabriel thought he saw envy in the moth kwami's eyes.
"Explain, please?" Nathalie asked Duusu flew to Gabriel and hugged his check.
"OH YOU WONDERFUL MAN, YOU FREED ME! Miss Emilia will be so happy….. Miss Emilia, where is miss Emilia?!" Duusu demanded as he looked around the room.
Gabriel felt a flash of anger, how dare the same creature that led to her state be worried about her? But then he remembered how she said don't blame Duusu before she passed out. Nathalie meanwhile looked at the Kwami and wondered if she should tell it, but then Nooroo took the choice out of her hands.
"She's asleep kindred, the two of you pushed yourselves too hard," Nooroo said and Duusu went still.
"That scum! If I ever find out who they are I'll!" Duusu snarled and the others looked at him in shock.
"Wait, 'Scum!?' Someone did that to her!?" Gabriel growled and Duusu nodded.
"It was like when the Order killed my Chosen's family and stole me! They woke me up from my slumber when they tried to drain our mana!" Duusu said Gabriel growled and looked ready to punch someone but something that the Kwami said caused him to go still and turn towards Nooroo and glare.
"What did they mean, stole Nooroo?" Gabriel growled. Nooroo stayed silent but Duusu spoke up.
"The Order whose book you used? They are nothing more than thieves who tracked down my friends and stole or took us from those who found us! They cast spells to keep us from telling others what they did and kept us from our friends beyond the groups they created for us! They used us by giving us to specially chosen wielders who they had captives to threaten or were related to elder members of their cult! They used to protect the balance, the balance with them on top ruling over others!" Duusu said angrily and Gabriel frowned as Nathalie gasped as Nooroo hung his head.
Gabriel frowned, something about this was bothering him. It was horrible and he could see another factor that would affect his plans, but there was something else.
"Oh my. Was the temple in Tibet, the one that appeared there a few weeks back?" Nathalie asked and Nooroo nodded.
Gabriel went silent, looking at Nooroo who kept silent, wondering how the spells affected what the Kwami had been able to tell him. And given how he had treated the little being, he wouldn't be too mad and punish it. But those spells put everything he had learned in doubt, and he needed to be sure nothing would happen that would hurt more people than he already had to save his wife.
"The temple is back?! Then those monsters will come! This time we have to send Nooroo's champions at them with my monsters, even the help of the heroes might not be enough! I don't want to be caught by them again, please don't let them take me, Miss Nathalie!" Duusu cried out in fear as he hugged Nathalie's neck.
"We won't let them take you, I promise," Nathalie said and Gabriel nodded before he realized just what had been bothering him. As he looked at the cowering Kwami, he realized just what it was and spoke up before he could stop himself.
"Wait, if they were so evil, why didn't they use the wish to rule the world?" Gabriel asked and Duusu looked at him, totally flabbergasted.
"What wish? Wait…. Tikki and Plagg? They can only affect the future without destroying the planet at least! You need the time warning of Fluff and Lonng to know what to wish for! And even then, if fate is changed something similar, either worse or less will happen! When the warning was that Atlantis was destroyed by a tsunami, the wish changed the steps but the dance remained mostly the same," Duusu explained and Gabriel looked at the Kwami in shock.
"Backup, destroy the planet and remake so what is wished for happens, that's how it affects past events!?" Nathalie asked as Gabriel paled in horror. Nooroo looked down and sighed as Gabriel's eyes found him and looked up, his eyes showing Gabriel that what he heard was true, and more.
"The Order, they cast spells that kept you, you as in the Kwami from telling your holders information?" Gabriel asked and Duusu nodded. Gabriel just stared into space before he exploded. With a scream, he threw a chair against one of the walls, Nathalie and the Kwami only watched as he destroyed the few small pieces of furniture that they had put into the room.
A few moments later Gabriel panted as he held a broken chair leg.
"So at the end if I had won at all, the entire plant would have died for my wish to save her?!" Gabriel snarled out the question and Duusu shook their head.
"But we don't need the full wish to help miss Emilie, all we need is Tikki and a few others, then a ritual done by each holder in order and she should be healed if she's just asleep," Duusu said and Gabriel felt a spark of hope.
If they could heal her without the wish, then they wouldn't destroy the world to save her. And that meant the information the Seven gave them might not be needed, sure they had healed Nathalie but something about their mysterious goal was bothering him. And with the drama about Lila and Marinette, plus how Adrien was hiding somewhere and trying to get emancipation, he needed good news and this might be what he need.
A thought struck him and he looked at Duusu, knowing he had to ask a few questions that he had to ask if he wanted to move forward. "What did you mean, slumber?"
"The Order changed it, now when a Kwami enters their Miraculous, we fall asleep. We can't see anything, we just sleep," Duusu admitted and Gabriel looked at him and nodded. That meant he had just had one last question, he had to know just what he might have been fighting for.
"And if I use the wish to just heal her, not to change what happened, would that have worked with no side effects?" Gabriel asked and Duusu nodded.
"I'm sorry but no. If you had only wished her to healed… then it would only transfer what's wrong to someone else that you cared about the same amount, and you can't make the choice who is affected," Duusu said softly and Gabriel went still as Nathalie paled as they both realized who would be the one to truly pay to get Emilie back.
Gabriel looked up and away, a thousand thoughts going through his mind. He wanted her back for his son, not to lose him forever. "We go ahead with our plans like normal."
"Are you mad, didn't you hear what Duusu said about it!?" Nathalie demanded and Gabriel winced.
Turning to look at he saw the look Nathalie sent him he shook his head. "We won't use the wish, Nathalie. We'll find a way to heal her without it, but we'll just go through the motions until we have a sure way that no one will have to pay for or one that will cause Emile to kill us both when we save her Nathalie. We might need the Seven's help after all but we go forward with our plans for Lila and we go from there."
Nathalie paled as she remembered how Emile would react sometimes in the past when someone tried to hurt people when she was around. The things she probably would do to them, well she didn't want to think about it more than for a minute.
"And you," Gabriel said as he looked at Duusu who floated there. "We will talk about who exactly we need to heal her, and what happened to you two later. My nerves can't handle anything else after all this."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As Carapace dropped his shield Commissaire Bertolfo and Theo looked at the dead Bees as the SWAT members moved out and started to make sure the bodies were all dead.
"Cleanup is gonna be a mess. Well this should get the Mayor to raise our budget at least," Commissaire Bertolfo said as Theo looked at him and Bertolfo shrugged.
"Your budget!? That's what you're taking away from all this!?" Theo demanded and Bertolfo looked at him and started to laugh.
Theo only stared at him, not understanding what had set him off.
"Why are you laughing, this is terrible!" Theo said and Bertolfo just laughed harder until he finally stopped.
"Kid, this is nothing! What's so bad?" Bertolfo asked and Theo gestured all around them.
"The Bees!" Theo said gesturing around at the carnage around them.
Bertolfo just looked at him in disbelief and shook his head as he laughed a little more.
Theo stared at him in shock and felt his cheeks turn red. "What's so funny!?"
"Kid, the fact that Ladybug and the heroes have been able to clean up most of the damage has been a miracle, this is normal for the monster maker villains. We've got a few vehicles, by this time tomorrow the city will be back to normal," Bertolfo said and Theo looked at him before sighing.
Carapace winced behind them as Pegasus looked down. They knew all about such troubles the Commissaire was talking about, they had been eight when the Monster Winter happened and the efforts to recover and repair the damage. If whoever did this did it again, then the entire city was in danger. All they could do now was hope that they had killed and stopped all the creatures if even one of them escaped and they were capable of breeding…
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Deep within the catacombs, far below where people ever went, a large rat the size of a cat ran through the darkness. Behind it a buzzing followed it, the rat moving faster and faster before a large hand suddenly grabbed it and squeezed it, breaking its spine and neck, killing it instantly. The hand was covered in chitin and long. The body was carried back the way the rat had run until it reached a cavern lit by strange glowing fungus. The cavern was the size of a football field and at the center, three Drone bee monsters hovered as a bee the size of a motorcycle ate rats the same size as the killed one, revealed to be carried by a Worker. As the Worker flew closer to the newborn Queen was easier to see, like the one the heroes had killed it had four arms but the top pair were covered in strange mucus, and the newborn creature's eyes shined a black color as an egg fell from its behind. As it looked upwards towards the surface more Workers flew into the cavern, each carrying the result of their hunts.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As she sat and watched the TV, the app on her phone give the all-clear signal that the Akuma had been defeated, it was all she could do not to scream at what she had seen. A Bio-Hacker, here, now?! How, just how! Most of them live in the wild, why is he here, so close to Rome?! This will cause them to come to the city, to try and purge every one of us they can find, this will let the world know about everything! And if that fool is still alive, then my plan is in danger! He'll know what Lila is, I have to keep her close, no act normal don't draw attention to yourself, that's how you gain your goal. Once I have my revenge, I'll use her bones to make fine china and I'll force her grandchild to serve me food on them! She thought before such pain suddenly went through her and she dropped to the ground, biting back a scream.
As Dolores's grabbed her stomach she bit her lips as she felt pain and heat from deeper within, after a few moments the pain died down and the heat cooled down, she looked at her arm as it throbbed and she knew she would need to start the preparations to change her clothing soon. So far everything was going well on that end, the directives she told her fleshbot to prioritize last time had been perfect, all she needed was for it to get into an accident in a week, fall into a coma, and then she would get a new dress soon.
As she got up she walked towards the cabinet and she kept her materials and slowly opened it to reveal ten blocks of stone six inches high and long. Picking one up she called up her power, a white glow formed around her hand and then the block, the block slowly changed shape until it had transformed into a black rat with a pentagram indention on its back and another on its head. Closing the cabinet she carried the rat statue toward her room. "Hmmm, I need to order a few new blocks soon, and I should put a few of my white failures, it would be good to get some new funds."
As she walked into her room she saw the small chest on her desk that she needed. Opening it once she reached it, the box was revealed to be full of pentagon gems of multiple colors. She looked at the gems and sighed as she shook her head. "I'm running out of a few colors, I should make more once I have the time."
Reaching into the chest she took out a white gem that she put into the statue's back, after that she put a red gem into the statue's forehead, and then she dropped it to the floor. As it fell it came to 'life' and landed on all four paws, it looked up at her as wisps of flames came out of its mouth as the red and white gems gave off glows in their colors.
She glanced down at it and scowled. "Go and see if you can track down this Giles, and if you find any of his creations kill them all."
The rat ran away, up the wall into an open duct, and ran into the building's internal airways. Dolores just sighed and shook her head.
"I need to increase the size of my creations, maybe set up a studio lair along the waterfront using one of my other identities, if this is to be war then I might need it," She muttered as she looked out the window and frowned
and walked back to the living room as the phone rang. Smiling she moved towards it. Looking at it she saw it was the embassy and sighed, wondering what it was
"Yes, Dolores here. How can I help you?" Dolores said and she pulled the phone back as someone screamed at her.
"What the hell is that brat of yours doing?! We just got served a summons to a hearing in three days for an 'Ambassador Rossi'! I swear if you weren't one of the best I'd!" The angry male voice belonged to the current head of the embassy and Dolores's direct boss.
"Sir, it is in my file that my daughter has a habit of telling tall tales, harmless she said she saw things, I have no idea what this is about!" She said as she scowled. The little wrench must have cried to her parents and they believed her! This is…. Good! She thought as she blinked and grinned as plans bloomed behind her eyes. The idea that the girl would cry to her parents, that they would even be able to get the ball rolling like this was just what she needed for her long-term plans!
"Well find out! I don't want to have to tell the head office about this! Ban enough we're stuck here and are only a relay for the Ambassador, I don't need your brat fucking everything up!" Her boss snarled and hung up without a word.
Dolores looked at her phone with a glare as she let out a quiet growl as her face turned red. That over-empowered public Leech! He talks nice and big when he's just the single highest coffee boy who was ordered to remain when all the decision makers left! I wonder, before my cloth fitting should I send one of my statues to him as an anonymous gift, then make it kill him one night? She thought as she imagined that playing out behind her eyes and giggled a little.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Back at the river, Apisera looked at the damage and knew that this would cause a lot of trouble for the city. But then again, it might force her father to transfer money from a few plans his advisors had suggested for 'the good of the city' that seemed to be nothing but stupidity.
As Arashiko looked around she heard three beeps and looked around as Ladybug barked out an order.
"Time to leave, now! Arashiko with me! Chat take Carapace and Pegasus back, Apsiera…!" Ladybug called out and Apisera waved back.
"I got this boss bug, you go I'll lead Viper boy away!" Aspirea called out and Ladybug nodded before grabbing Arashiko and leading her away from the river as Chat Noir ran towards Carapace and Pegasus who fell in behind him as they jumped past Viperion who hit the grounds near Theo who almost screamed.
As Apsiera came closer the Commissaire frowned. "I thought Miss Chloe was the wielder of the Bee. Did something cause that to change?"
Apsiera smiled and nodded. "Hawkmoth and his girl Friday made a play to get her on their side and other reasons, I'm the new wielder. If you want the full story check the Ladyblog tomorrow at Lunch, that's going to explain everything. And a small favor, keep the alert up for about….. twenty minutes please?"
Bertolfo looked at the new Bee and nodded, understanding more than he wanted that the heroes needed the time to get back to their civilian lives. He looked at her as she sighed and then when she turned towards Viperion and walked over to him before he could speak, he just shook his head.
Looking towards the SWAT he whistled to get their attention. "Everyone keep the civilians inside! We're treating these bodies as bombs for now! If they don't go off in an hour we let everyone go! Somebody call the cleaners, special division now!"
Commissaire Bertolfo looked around and saw Theo and grabbed him, pulling him as he walked towards the river.
"HEY!" Theo called out and Commissaire Bertolfo just kept walking.
"Your with me boyo, I need another pair of eyes to check on the damage as I talk to the Akuma victims," Commissaire Bertolfo said and Theo nodded after a few moments.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Viperion looked around as the police kept the people back, nodding to Apsiera when she looked at him. So far Viperion had to say that he hadn't had too many reversions with the power of the Snake, and he wasn't too mentally drained. But something still bothered him, who was that person, how was he able to create those monsters? Anyone who just heard about this would tell you it was Hawkmoth who had created the man, but then he had sent the Akuma after the attack, and then the villains it created had fought against the man and his monsters, and then there was the attack the other day, people say the Akuma's fought against monsters and another super villain but nothing he read online told anyone anything about it.
All he could figure out from this was that this wasn't as clear-cut as it was at first and he hoped this wasn't a sign that things would get even more convoluted in the future.
As Apisera looked around she nodded, noticing that none of the bees were moving at all, and with the police 'double tapping' them, the threat was gone. She looked at Viperion and walked over to him and grabbed him before he could take a step towards the river. "Come on Snake-boy, let's get out of here before the vultures get here and see you in your other suit."
As she jumped upwards she looked over her shoulder as Viperion followed, after a few moments they had made it to a small area out of sight of the streets. As they landed they heard a beep from the Snake Miraculous aw he was at two beeps, with three minutes left on his timer.
"Good, this is perfect! Listen, the long and the short is we're trying to get the rest of the Miraculous permanent wielders to deal with…. Problems. You've been chosen, will you accept?" Apisera asked and Viperion looked at her in shock.
He looked at her, wondering what to ask and then he looked at his Miraculous and then her, but he shook his head. "There are more reasons than just getting a bigger team, aren't there?"
"Yeah," Apisera said and shook her head.
"It's a long story and basically…. The old Order might have been a cult and enslaved the Kwami," Apisera said and Viperion stared at her before he felt himself shake a litter in anger. "Cool it snake boy, we've got a plan to fix this. And getting every one of them a Wielder is one of them."
"Then for Sass, I will. If after he wants to leave me he should," Viperion said and Apisera nodded.
"Good, you got time or do you need to get back to your civilian life?" Apisera asked and Viperion nodded back.
"Life, my family were the Akuma after all," Viperion said and Apisera stared at him before giggling a little.
"Your Juleka's brother? That Glamor does work wonders!" Apisera said as she laughed and Viperion transformed back into Luka.
"Yeah, I'll see you later miss Bee," Luka said as he dashed down out of the alley and then he ran towards the river. Apisera looked after him before jumping away, heading back towards the hotel.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ladybug smiled as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop, Arashiko following along behind her. the battle had been different but the team had done it, and they had two new permanent members hopefully. And letting someone else come up with the plan, that felt right, she wasn't the leader she was one of the team, no more, no less.
As Arashiko landed next to Ladybug she moved to hand over her Miraculous when Ladybug raised a hand and smiled at her as her own Miraculous beeped again. "No Kagami, you don't need to return it."
"I don't?" Arashiko asked in shock as she detransformed and looked at Ladybug who smiled back at her.
"No, Longg spoke of you with respect, he feels that you are an ideal candidate to wield his power, and you can join the team permanently like the others," Ladybug said as Kagami's mouth dropped open.
Kagami looked from Longg to Ladybug and felt the weight of this, she didn't know what she felt really. Having a friend like Longg around would be something, she was sure he would have a lot of advice for her, and help her through her problems. But then she wondered if she could hide him from her mother, with how controlling she was. She was cold at the best of times and demanded that Kagami perform at a level that she alone demanded and even without her sight, the woman could detect a fault in Kagami's swordsmanship and behaviors and seemed to be on a mission to force Kagami into a mold.
But no matter how she tried, Kagami wouldn't bend or be broken to her whims. She felt proud of that and having someone else to talk to in the dead of the night was something that she would like, but part of her was worried that he would convince her of something that she knew but didn't want to say.
"I… that is an honor that I don't know if I can accept, you know how my mother is when I first became Ryuko," Kagami and Longg laughed a little.
"Hatchling, you are kind and honorable, perfect to wield my power. And there are other reasons for adding more heroes," Longg said and Kagami looked up at the Kwami then she looked away. She didn't know everything, but the chance to fight alongside the others more often, it was very tempting.
"I…. I would like this, but my mother…. If her robot guards see him, she might take you," Kagami said and Longg grinned.
"There is a way around that hatchling, trust me. When the Kwami and the Wielder both believe that it's best for we Kwami have to hide, just hold it and I can hide in it, I do have the ability to talk to you with our minds. But we won't be able to transform for an hour after I'm released," Longg cautioned and Kagami looked at Ladybug whose Miraculous beeped again.
"If that is okay, then yes I will," Kagami said and Longg grinned and Ladybug smiled as another beep was heard.
"Welcome to the team Kagami, this will be like that time on Friendship Day," Ladybug as she detransformed into Marinette with Tikki floating next to her. Kagami's mouth dropped open and she stared at her friend as she brought out two cookies, one she handed to Longg who nodded and ate it quickly.
"What?" Kagami breathed in total shock. Looking at her, Kagami's mind went over past events and saw many of them in a new light, seeing the understanding that explained it all and she laughed. She couldn't believe it, after all those times something about Marinette called out to her, it was because Marinette was the person who gave her a second chance after she messed up with the Miraculous when her mother had become an Akuma.
"Yeah, it's a shock seeing me and breaking the glamor right? Same thing happened to me. Now transform and get home before your mother starts looking for you," Marinette said and Kagami nodded and looked at her.
"We will talk about this later, but thank you for your trust. Longg, Bring the Strom!" Kagami said clearly.
"Tikki Spots on!" Marinette called out as well.
The two superheroes hugged before they both dashed off in the same general direction, Marinette hopped that her parents hadn't gone looking for her or Adrien, and Kagami hoped that her mother hadn't been trying to get ahold of her r activated the cars AI.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A few minutes later Luka reached the street and some SWAT officers setting up barricades as others moved the Bee corpses away and into piles. As he tried to move by the barricades one of the police stopped him.
"Hold on son, this street's closed," One of the two officers said as he put a hand on Luka. Luka only looked at him and tried to keep his temper down.
"My family were the Akumas, the heroes brought me to safety and when I saw them leave I came back here. Are they okay, that thing appeared before the Akuma, did they hurt them?" Luka asked and the officer looked at him before nodding.
"Go straight to the river, don't touch the bees," The officer said as he let Luka pass. He ran, not stopping to gawk as he had already seen and even made the plan that defeated them. He reached the Liberty, seeing his mom talking with Commissaire Bertolfo while Rose and Juleka weren't around made him worried, he hadn't seen any doctors around so where were they?
"MOM!" Luka called out and Anarka looked up and saw him moving down the stairs toward the ship.
"Boyo, there you are! So you got away before the Hawk-scum could get ya? Good for you!" Anarka smiled and he nodded.
"Yeah, I was far enough away, where's Jules and Rose?" Luka asked and Anarka looked down into the ship. Luka followed her gaze and realized what she meant but he figured out what she meant quickly. "They're down there, are they okay?!"
"Rose is a bit weak, I don't know. She's okay otherwise and well… I said for her to try and sleep it off," Anarka said and Luka went still as he felt Sass press against him.
"Oh, I hope she's okay," Luka said and the Commissaire nodded. Luka took a moment to look around and saw the giant Bee monster, and shuddered a little. Just looking at that thing and how it ate it to birth more of its kind, it made him scared about what it might have made if it ate his family or a human. He felt Sass press against him from his pocket and smiled, he would have to talk to Sass about this later, for now, he had to check on his sister.
"So those monsters attacked first like I heard, and after that Hawkmoth sent an Akuma?" Commissaire Bertolfo asked and Luka nodded.
"Great," Commissaire Bertolfo muttered as he scars started to throb. He thought that Hawkmoth would be his last Super Villain before he retired, but it looks like he was wrong.
He would have to talk to the mayor about putting more money into the budget and contact the other stations, tell them to pay attention to anything, even if he had to use his authority as the Head of Paris's Super Heroes Affairs office if he had to. A monster maker was seen as the worst because sometimes one escaped and bred in the wild, and that was the last thing the city needed. Looking at the sewers tunnel under the bridge, he just knew he would have to send in either drones or people to check them. And with how the things ate others, he wouldn't send his men down there if he didn't have to so drones it was
Luka looked at the damage and saw Theo taking notes on the other side of the bridge and smirked, he always knew his friend would run into trouble like this and help people. He had known Theo for a long time, and besides working part-time jobs to pay for his sculpting work he had a strong sense of justice. Most people wondered if he would become a sculptor and maybe a private eye on the side, since he often helped people find things they lost or missing pets.
He shook his head and moved into the Liberty as his mom and Commissaire Bertolfo kept talking, his mom telling him everything she remembered about Giles and what he had done.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Rose slept soundly on the bed, a smile on her face. Juleka had brought Rose down into her and Luka's room, putting her into Juleka's bed and within moments Rose had fallen into slumber. Juleka was worried, even with how her illness had treated her, she never reacted like this! And when she was freed from being Princess Fragrance, she had been better than she had ever been for weeks after that!
As she looked at Rose, she never noticed Luka coming up behind her. Putting a hand on her shoulder and one over her mouth, Juleka turned and saw Luka standing there, gesturing to go to the main room. Following behind him after she closed the door, Juleka followed her brother and once they reached the main room she hugged him and cried into his chest.
"I don't know what to do Lu, I just don't!" Juleka said softly as she cried into him.
Luka only shushed her as he patted her hair. Rose had been a friend of the family for years, and he saw her as another sister. "There, there little sister. Rose will be fine."
"How Luka, how? This is the worse she's ever been!" Juleka said as she looked up as she cried.
Luka nodded, he knew it. He hated when her sickness got the best of her, but this wasn't like anything that had happened to her that he knew about. A stray thought about how she had been drained by those… Luka went still and looked at the ceiling, moving towards the door.
"Jules, stay here I'll be right back!" Luka said as Juleka looked after him. As soon as he reached the deck, he looked around and saw Theo talking to Commissaire Bertolfo quietly.
"Commissaire!" He called out as he ran towards them. As they turned and looked at him, he bit out a question. "The people you found here, are any of them very tired?"
"Yes, a lot of them were slimed first and now they are. Some almost fell asleep while we were hiding. Why?" Commissaire Bertolfo asked and Luka nodded.
"Thanks!" Luka said as he turned and ran back to Juleka. If his thoughts were right, then
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sabine smiled as she heard someone land on the roof, the threat was over. Thankfully the bakery had been empty so they had closed it down and then headed back to their apartment, and a quick check told them the kids had gone to fight. She was proud of them but she so wanted to talk to whoever choose them and have a nice long talk with them. As she looked down at her phone she saw the 'Akuma, shelter in place' warning on the app was still telling people to hide, but with them back it must be done, so what was happening?
As she sat there she looked out the window she saw Kagami moving towards where the school's parking from where the alley was and frowned. Another child who had a strict parent, she hadn't talked to Tomoe at all, but after hearing how and why she became an Akuma, that said all that was needed about her. Sometimes she wondered if being rich or important in the city meant being a parent that controlled more than loved their children, and the four examples she knew about did seem to favor that, but still. Tom reached over and squeezed her shoulder and she smiled at him.
Tom was a bit angry at whoever choose her himself, but at least he trusted Marinette to handle it, mostly. His time as an Akuma was something he regretted, but not the actions he took.
As he looked upwards he sighed. "We have to talk to her about it soon, you know."
Sabine nodded, Tom was all set to tell her they knew once they figured it out, but then she suggested that maybe it would be best to let her keep going, only acting if they had to. But the failed mass attack, they were worried about what exactly it meant. And she knew that they would have to talk to her about it soon, after the hearing at the very least.
As Tom flipped the sign to open, their phones beeped and they looked down the 'Akuam Alert' was deactivated, he looked the outside and smiled. His daughter had gotten away, but then maybe she was back to get something to win, they didn't know exactly what she had hidden away up there, after all the 'Listener' was just so she could destroy it and give his father piece of mind after what had happened to his old friend.
The two of them shared a look, both of them wondering if they should call out to the kids but a ringing told them the door was opening, time to get back to work.