"Here you go." Sabine Cheng handed over some baked goods to the collectors. "I hope that everyone enjoys them." The Dupain-Cheng's were never ones to turn down a reason to help, so baking treats and goodies for the FEAST food drive was merely one way they could provide a helping hand.

"Mrs Cheng, trust me when I say that everyone in Paris enjoys your cooking."

"Oh your too kind. The real expert is my husband. He comes up with the recipes and I design them." They complimented each other very well like that.

"Please honey, this was a team effort!" Her ever cheerful husband boasted loudly. "You, me, and Marinette!" Her husband held the two of them together. "We're like pastry themed super heroes."

"Superheroes, yeah, hehehe." Marinette has always been so nervous these days. Tom was constantly asking if she was alright, but Sabine knew it was because of a boy. Her father was shy like that at her age too.. "Sure, that's what we're like-oh look a distraction!"

"Ah what?" Sabine asked.

"I mean oh look, one of my friend's from school is here." She pointed to a brown haired kid with glasses next to an older woman with graying hair. "Hey Peter!"

"Oh, Marinette." The boy waved. "What's up? Come to make all of Paris's mouth water with the best macaroons in the city?"

"Make them water and fill that desire to their heart's content." Tom nodded chipperly.

"We thank your patronage." The older woman smiled. "Oh, pardon me. I'm May Parker, and this is my Nephew Peter. I run FEAST whenever Mr. Li isn't around."

"Sabine Cheng, and my husband Tom Dupain." She smiled, shaking the woman's hand. "Apparently our Marinette is friends with your Peter … and maybe more?" She teased.

"Maman!"

"Oh how I'd like that. You have no idea how hard it is to try and get this boy together with a nice girl." Mrs Parker smirked.

"Aunt May! That's not it at all!" Peter reacted just as embarrassed. "We're just and only friends."

"Exactly! He helps me deal with Chole and nudges me in the right direction every once in a while. That's all there is to it." Marinette reiterated. "Purely platonic."

"Aww …" Tom put away his 'welcome to the household' flags.

"Why do you have that on hand!?" Marinette asked with a blush.

"Because the day your daughter finds a special someone to give their heart over too is a special day I eagerly await for." Her husband nodded.

"I'll have to remember to order a celebratory cake for when Peter does the same."

"Is death by embarrassment a thing here?" Peter asked glumly.

"I've been researching it." Marinette sighed. "So far no dice, so we may be the first." They had such nice chemistry, how could they not be more than friends?

"Anyways, whatever the case, on behalf of FEAST and as well as myself, I thank you and your family for your donations." May smiled. "Every little bit of food helps."

"Oh it's no big deal. Feeding hungry souls is always a cause we will get behind." Tom nodded. "We wouldn't call ourselves true bakers and chefs if we said otherwise."

"Everyone with an empty stomach gets fed." Sabrina added. "What about you two?"

"Well, like I said, I run FEAST whenever Mr Li is indisposed." Mrs Parker explained. "I shifted from the American branch. Mr. Li was gracious enough to let us have such a big opportunity to set up in France at all."

"And I volunteer whenever I get the chance." Peter raised his hands as he noticed a nearby platter of food and carried it over to a group of people. "After all, 'with great power must also come great responsibility.'"

"Is that a saying back home?" Tom asked. "I don't think I'm familiar with it."

"It's the Parker family motto." Marinette's friend nodded as he carried a plate. "Uncle Ben used to recite it all the time. If you have the ability to help one person, you should help them with all that you got."

"That's a really sweet motto." Her daughter smiled. "He sounds like a nice guy."

"He was …" The young man looked at the ground sadly.

"… How about a small tour?" May offered, looking like she was shaking off the topic.

"Oh, yes, that sounds nice." She nodded. Best to not dive into something sensitive when this was supposed to be all about good will and giving.

Martin Li rubbed Louis's back. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. I swear you've got a magic touch or something martin." The resident woman smiled up at him.

"Nothing that good will towards one fellow man can't also give." He may have not started out with much, but Martin Li was the kind of man that would swear to give all that he could back to those that deserved it. FEAST was his gift to the world, the first step in making it a better place.

To help those that were left behind and give them a second chance … that was what he wanted … even if it wasn't a permanent solution. "Hey Li." He turned and saw the familiar old face of Antonie looking at a radio. "This thing's busted again."

"Don't worry Martin, I'm on it." May's nephew, Peter, smiled, walking over to the small machine. "The days it pays to be a nerd." And now he had the familiar help of the Parkers once more. The whole family was proof the common decency wasn't entirely dead in this world.

"You work with machines?" A new face, the daughter of the bakers that had graciously donated food today, asked.

"Yeah, mainly old timey parts and scraps." Peter said as he got a screwdriver out. "Parker's have never been the most financially liquid family, so I get by with what I find. I once found an old computer in a dumpster and made a drone out of it." If that boy wasn't assured for a scholarship, Martin would have tried to offer him tuition money.

"Yet he still can't make an omelet for the life of him." May grinned.

"Who needs to cook when I have pop tarts?" The boy laughed.

"Is that blasphemy I hear?" The baker, Tom Dupain, he believed it was, lightly chuckled. "No associate of my daughter is ever going to speak of poorly packaged processed pastries when I'm around."

"Apologies, my good sir, I shall stick to cereal from here on out."

"It's weird to hear any kind of humor out of you that isn't snark against Chloe." The baker's daughter smiled lightly.

"Different forms of humor are appropriate at different times." Peter smiled as he opened the radio. "Ah, here's the issue, one of the cog's got loose. Just gotta tighten it up… and done. Should be good know Antonie."

A familiar jingle began playing, as the man smiled. "Thank you Peter, you're a gift to the world."

"Aww shucks, you're making me blush." The kid chuckled. "I'm just your average teenager living an average life, that's all." Wouldn't exactly call it average …

Crash

The windows above broke open, as a man leaped down. He had a purple and yellow suit on him, along with a cowl, and a long scarf. "Haha, I am Batroc the Leaper!" The man shouted. "The most infamous thief in all of france!" … Really? A thief? Again? Here!? NOW!?

"Since when did France become New York?" May asked as she gathered as many of the surroundings patrons and getting them as far away from the scoundrel as possible. "I certainly hope this isn't a recurring thing." True, 'Mr Negative' kept the innerdemons small, quiet, and unnoticed. Criminals, not villains. Between Hawkmoth and this …

"Now, for the lovely audience gazing at my beauty, all I ask is all your valuables." The man said. "If you do not comply, things will be forced to get … 'messy' shall we say."

"Sir, this is a homeless shelter." Martin stepped up, hoping to end this peacefully, or at the very least direct the man away.

"Exactly. No one would expect a man to rob away a homeless shelter, so no cops …" Suddenly, the thief leapt forward, kicking a phone out of the hand of the mother of the bakers who donated. "Unless someone makes a stupid mistake."

"Please, be reasonable, there's only so much around." May spoke.

"Unfortunately I shall be taking that." Batroc said shamelessly, ignoring the plead. "With all the heroes running around, if I tried something more notable, they would show themselves."

"That we would do."

"Exactly, so I must limit myself to such petty crimes-" Batroc cut himself off, slowly turning to meet the masked eyes of Spider-Man. "... Oh come on."

"Oh don't be so glum chum." The man instantly wrapped a chain around the thief. "I already get enough of that from Ladybug." The masked man threw him through the wall the scoundrel made. "I can look past a lot, like Hawkmoth's tacky designs, but kicking the puppy when it's already down … you couldn't be more of a dick if you tried."

"I am not kicking any puppies, I'm stealing from homeless people!"

"And apparently long with your taste in clothes, metaphors aren't processed through your brain. So mind telling me where your akumatized object is so we can end this quickly? I'd rather not deal with an idiot today, I have a big agenda and everything." Spider-Man asked.

"Haha, the Leaper does not associate with nonsense like that Hawkmoth fellow, I am a self made man!"

Spider-Man's eyes widened. "Wait, you're not an akumatized villain?"

"Correct, for I do this with skill, flair, talent, and-"

"I'm sorry, I'm still focusing on the fact you chose to dress up in tacky underwear willingly." The hero said. "Like, wow … so sad."

"It is not tacky!"

"It's a little tacky." The hero replied. "Hey, anyone here wanna call the police while I dangle this man out front?"

"Oh, it'll not be me doing the dangling, hero!" The man leapt to his feet, still tangled up, and kicked the spider themed hero in the head. "For no trap can stop the Leaper!"

SMACK

Spider-man was sent into a wall where his head got buried within it as Batroc wiggled out of the weapon, freeing himself. "So long, Spider Looser!"

"... Alright, either he's a mutant, or he's mechanical, because I think I actually felt that." The hero said, ripping his head out of the wall and shaking off concrete. "So how about we get more scenic with a nice sunny sky!" He jumped to the door, following after the criminal.

"Are you alright?" Martin asked the baker woman, walking up and looking over her hand, slightly bruised from the kick. Li placed a little bit of energy to help it heal faster.

"Yeah, just more startled than anything." She shook her head. "I'm just glad he didn't get the chance to hurt anybody."

"Marinette, you should stay close and …" The father of the bakers looked around. "Marinette? Where did you go!?"

"And where's Peter!?" May looked around. "He was just right next to me!"

"Don't worry, we'll find them. They're probably just hiding." And if not … then Mr. Negative would have to get personal with this 'Leaper' character…

"So do they call you Leaper because you leap away when an actual fight starts?" Peter asked as he chased after the tacky scumbag. "I mean I get it, I'm spectacular and amazing, but that's no reason to run out on a conversation!" Another thief at Feast, right when they were still trying to figure out the deal with the Inner Demons, he SO didn't have the time for this. "I have to imagine you have plenty of stories to tell me about all the old ladies you beat up and the candy you've stolen from children!"

"You're the reason I had to lower myself from the most prized jewels! I try to avoid you!" The man shouted, jumping onto another rooftop.

"Aaah, now I get it. You don't think you can handle a hero, so you went to a city where no heroes exist to do crimes. And here I thought I was dealing with someone confident in their legs." He flipped over the man, who slid between his legs. "You thought 'hey, I can jump slightly higher and kick marginally better than the average man, I MUST become a super criminal! After all, if it worked for Stilt Man, obviously I can do it!"

"Stilt Man has no class!" Batroc shouted, continuing to flee until Spidey snacked a chain around his ankle, yanking them back.

"He has the guts to stand and fight at least." He insulted. "I mean, standing is ALL he could do, but he still did it. Daredevil kicked his ass, but it's the integrity he had while getting his butt handed to him that makes it memorable." Especially if the rumors of Daredevil being blind were true. Spidey leapt forward himself, jumping in close and dodging a kick as he grabbed the man's leg. "So what's your secret? Born with better calves, kicked with a radioactive kneecap, swore vengeance on all hands after someone flipped the bird?" He applied some superstrength to keep the leg in place while trying to hit the guy in the stomach.

"My secrets are my own to know, Spider-man!" The man kicked him upper cut style and sent him across the roof. "You'd be a fool to underestimate what I'm capable of!"

"That's what I keep telling him, but I'm pretty sure he has webs in his ears." A yo-yo knocked him in the head, making the villain fall back as Ladybug jumped in.

"Ahh, it seems the Lady of the hour has arrived." He grinned, getting up. "He's not in the Hawkmoth gang, but he's got a mean brazilian kick for a french man."

"I figured as much, and also figured that if you spent half the time fighting instead of talking, you would've been done by now." Ladybug grumbled as she sent her yo-yo out again to grapple the man by the legs.

"Excuse me, I'll have you know my jokes are well appreciated by our little thief here." Spidey aimed for the torso, trying to bind the arms since she went for the legs. "Isn't that right mr tacky fashion?"

"Like I'm going to take advice from the man who think putting a giant white spider on his chest is a good idea!" The man jumped in the air, using his momentum to twirl and fling Ladybug forwards and crashing into Spider-man. "It's almost as bad as pokadot's all over the Lady here."

"Hey, my fashion isn't that bad!" Apparently she took that personally, swinging her yoyo forward.

Batroc simply laughed as he moved his head. "Sorry mademoiselle, I'm afraid you missed."

Crash

Came the noise of Ladybug taking the air conditioning unit her yoyo wrapped around as it hit the crook in the back of the head. "Oooh, nice fakeout. Definitely going on the stream." Spidey grinned.

"Are you…are you filming this right now!?" Ladybug shouted.

"Well, yeah, this isn't an akuma fight. It's just a thug of the week. A brightly colored thug, but thug all the same. Those are free game." He grinned, glimpsing at his chain as the villain tried to get the unit off him. "Oooh, got a question from 'totallyawesomehulk1610'. He asks 'what's your opinion on heroes that use science over heroes that use magic?' Honestly, it's all skill. One requires intelligence and memorization while the other relies more on creative and free form thought, so really it depends on who's better overall. I mean, I'm more of a science guy, but gaining magic powers really gives one some pretty good insight."

"Shut that off right now!" Ladybug shouted as she tried to reach for his chain.

"Why?" He asked, flipping over as he glanced back at Batroc. "As long as you're around we can purify any Akuma before it hits him, so it's not like there's anything too embarrassing for the punk to have streamed around the world."

"We're supposed to be taking this seriously!" Ladybug shouted as she kicked the criminal in the head."

"I absolutely am. The air conditioner really took it out of him." Spidey said as he moved to the downed criminal, wrapping him in chains. "Well done, definitely showing off your own kinda skills." Focus on the legs, keep them bound and prevent him from fleeing.

"You know, for someone who has great power, you use it in the most irresponsible way." The polka dotted heroine grumbled.

"...What?" Did she … really use those words against him? "Oh, I do NOT need to hear this." He glared.

"Apparently you do! The people at the FEAST center, THEY'RE the real heroes here, more than you, more than me, probably more than anyone in Paris! We don't have the luxury of disappointing them."

"And I'm not." He argued back. "As long as they're not hurt, and as long as they have their stuff, and as long as this loser doesn't get away, nothing's wrong." He tightened the chain around him for good measure. "Now I'm gonna get the police to come up and collect the garbage."

"I…I will still win…you cannot defeat….the LEAPE-"

"Oh shuddup." He whacked the thief in the back of the head, knocking him out. "See, no harm, no foul. What I'm doing isn't hurting anybody other than jokers like this having to face laughter in a prison cell. So get mad at me all you want for being a showboat, I'm a showboat that gets the job done." He jumped to a nearby roof.

"One of these days that big mouth of yours is going to get in the way! And then we'll all be in trouble!" Ladybug crossed her arms

"Not before your rules!" Peter Parker was fine as he was, miraculous. No need to change a thing when he kept getting the work done. Watermelon could use a new brain though. It wasn't like what he was doing was going to get in the way of anything.

"You know, it's actually pretty rare we get to arrest one of these costumed guys." Batroc's eyes were barely reopening as he left the world of unconsciousness, and the world of the aching pain in the back of his head was open to him.

"Not like it's a bad thing. I much preferred it when this city had no crazy guys in masks running around."

"I mean, I do like not having to run for my life every other day, but the mess always gets cleaned up anyways. And paperwork's been down by thirty percent since all those akuma guys are just brainwashed people. I've actually had more time to spend with my kids since the heroes came."

"H…Heroes…" Of course, that's why he was here … being dragged away in a police car. France, his home country, where the heroes were supposed to be far and distant, where he was SUPPOSED to be free to commit as many robberies as he wanted without interference! So many villains tried to take over New York that they left most of the other cities out half the time, it should've been foolproof!

Between them and Hawkmoth's tacky fashion, he didn't know which was worse. Paris was suddenly becoming the new new york, where ANYBODY could become a super villain at a moment's notice! Sure the majority of them have been angry teenegers, but if Hawkmoth could infect people with bad attitudes, then it could literally happen to everybody!

Wait … that was it! All he had to do was get angry enough and BAM, he's out of jail! And he'd have enough power to fight against those stupid and tacky looking heroes! Focus … focus …C'mon, where was that damn purple butterfly!? It shouldn't take that long, right!?

"Hey, we got a speeder comin up on our tail." One of the officers said.

"Well we're transferring, we should let it slide for now." The other replied as they made a right turn. "Wait, are they following up?"

"Hang on, they're rolling their windows down-GUN!"

Ratatatatata

The sound of gunfire rang out as the back wheel was shot, sending the car out of control and crashing.

"Ahhhhh!" He shouted as the car was sent rolling all over the place, black fire entering his vison as more explosions surrounded him. Batroc groaned as he tried to reorient himself, watching as the officers, tried to leave the car, pulling out their weapons.

"FREEZE! Stand down or prepare to face the consequences!"

"I already have."

Faboooom

The bodies were sent flying as more black flames were sent out, cracking the ground. "Aaahh!" Batroc screamed as he did everything he could to kick the door down. "Oh great one above all, if you're actually real, please get me out of here!"

"When it comes to me, the only one you'll see is the one below all." The door was ripped off its hinges. "Hello…Batroc the Leaper." The dark flames surrounding the area slightly died down as a man glowing, pitch black skin and bright white hair and clothes walked towards him. "You've made quite a splash at FEAST just a little while ago… not a big splash, but notable enough to attract Spider-man and Ladybug's attention.

"... An Akuma." Batroc realized. Right, make people scared, they get supervillain powers. Life wasn't fair.

"No, I am something far … far worse." The man reached down and grabbed Batroc's face. "You like playing the villain right? Stealing anything you can get your hands on? Avoiding confrontation? Today, you'll see your negative."

"Wait, wait hold up!" He shouted as he felt his face burning up. "I can give you a cut on my next job! Five percent!? Twenty!? Name your price!"

"You know what sickens me? That even in a world such as ours, where gods of legend descend from the heavens and beings of inhuman origin come up out of the shadows every other week… that money is what you scoundrels are concerned with."

It was no longer just pain, it's as if he was turning inside out, his world was turning upside down, gravity no longer made sense, nothing made sense, not even his thieving … his thieving … he wasn't a thief … he stopped thieves. He was a vigilante, for dark justice! By any means necessary! "I shall … take down … the criminals … for justice …"

"And you know who the biggest criminals in this city are?" The man who opened his eyes asked. "The fake heroes who wear masks."

"Fakes … yes … they're fakes! Fake fake fake fake!" Why else would they be filming their fights for the world!?

"Run along, find them … and show them what it reallymeans to be a hero."

"Here's hero hero hero hero hero!" That's all that matters now! He had to be a hero no matter what the cost!

Ladybug sighed as she looked over the streets, walking along the edge of the roof. If there was one thing about her powers she was thankful for, it was her balance. Marinette was never this coordinated, always tripping and falling. It gave her ample time to think about what she was doing.

On one hand, it was obvious that she needed to be a hero outside of akuma attacks. She wouldn't stand for overpowered jerks just walking all over people, even if they were pathetic and incompetent people like the Leaper guy. Seriously, what kind of monster stole from homeless people!?

But on the other hand … she never wanted to be a hero to begin with. It was just forced upon her and suddenly here she was with responsibility and powers she didn't want, and nobody else was going to take up the mantle. Tikki was the best though, that was always going to be a plus.

A minus however … Was Spider-man. Was the guy good at his job? Yes. Did he get civilians to safety? Yes. Was he a complete know it all glory hounding douche about it? Unbelievably so. She went in to stop a criminal that was hurting other people, and here he was answering questions from strangers on the internet, completely unfocused on the situation at hand.

"A kiss on the hand for your thoughts, M'Lady?" She turned to see Chat strolling about with a smile on his face, leaning against his staff. "Or if I be so bold, the lips?"

"And would you be so willing if I were so bold to punch you off the roof?" She shot back.

"I always land on my feet, so no harm no foul."

She let out a smirk, before looking back down. "Just a lot of stuff on my mind with everything going on." Ladybug explained. "Any leads?" Ever since what they referred to as the 'thief and demons' incident, they made finding the Inner Demons a top priority. Spidey asked his 'inter web' about it while Ladybug went around simply asking Parisian officials and Asian historians if they knew anything. There were only half baked rumors that tended to contradict each other, nothing more.

"Only that whoever they are, they've only come into town a couple months ago. Anybody that has a run in with them usually ends up sickly and comatose, if they don't end up dead." Chat winced. "When I took hold of these powers … I thought it was just going to be bad guys in tacky costumes. These inner demons guys … they don't care about life at all."

"For every good heart, there's a bad one." For every Adrien and Peter, there was a Chloe and Spider-Man. "What has me worried the most are the powers. The average detective or cop that would have caught them by now probably got overwhelmed … we're the only ones who can stop them."

"Yeah, guess if you have the power to do something about it, it'd be a shame not to do anything." Chat nodded with a chuckle.

'With great power must also come great responsibility'. How was it that a normal everyday guy like Peter understood what she was going through without knowing anything about it at all? Marinettte was lucky to have him in her life to keep everything stable. Chloe's ranting at her went down by half thanks to him.

"I'll check the north side, you go south, we'll sweep till we meet back in the middle." Maybe they'd see something tonight.

"Hey Chat, Watermelon." The familiar and annoying voice of Spidey jumped onto the roof. "We have a problem."

"You mean besides the already-" She started.

"Sorry Lady, time sensitive." He repeated. "I linked my phone into the police radio frequency back when I was in America, it helped me catch problems in progress. I transferred it to my chain, thanks again for that, and got this recorded an hour ago." Spidey pressed a button on his tool.

"We have 10-45-B. Transport carrying Georges Batroc was found destroyed. Two officers in critical condition. Witnesses say men in masks were responsible."

"Let's go." Chat noir narrowed his eyes, staring out in the distance.

"I'll use my cure, you two go ahead." Ladybug said, readying her tool.

"Isn't it a bit early for that?" Chat asked.

"If I use the cure post battle they'll get away. I need you to minimize the damage so I won't have to use it again, otherwise they'll just be free to hurt others another day." She was not going to repeat the Feast incident a second time.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll make sure they use me as a punching bag until you arrive." Spidey smirked.

"I do like it when you get punched." She nodded with a grin. "Lucky Charm!" She threw her object in the air … and got a cat plushie. "..."

"So the two times you don't need the Lucky Charm, you get lipstick, and a cat plushie …" Spidey muttered. "... With that I take my leave before you can punch me!" He rushed forward, swinging off the rooftop.

"I think the universe is sending us a sign, M'lady." Chat smirked as he began leaping away. "Next time true loves kiss might be the answer!"

Ladybug twitched as she watched them run off, waiting a minute as she took a breath. "Miraculous Ladybug!" The insects flew off. "Tikki, Spots Off." She detransformed, pulling out a cookie to give her kwami. "Tikki, be honest, how much are you screwing with me?"

Her little partner munched on her snack. "I don't have much control over the Lucky Charm. Turning thoughts into reality is Ziggy's domain. True creation is an intention shaping something that doesn't exist and making it exist. If you want a solution, it gives you one."

"So the universe is just naturally wanting to tease me with Chat's flirting?" Marinette groaned. "Wait, if Kwami are real, does the universe have a sentience of teasing people?"

"That leads into higher beings such as Eternity … or Infinity … they kinda meld with each other."

"More Kwami?"

"Sort of. They're on a higher plane than us that they don't even fit within the conceptual universe physically, so people like eternity send out fractions of their power to inhabit mortals. For him; you may know his avatar as Captain Universe."

"Wow … suddenly that's a lot more impressive." She nodded. And even more Marinette felt so small compared to the grand scheme of things. "You good to go?"

"Yep!" Tikki smiled, gulping down the last bit of crumbs. "Delicious Macaroons as always." She had great pride in making such tasty food for her.

"Tikki, Spots On." After transforming, she leapt across the rooftops, sending her Yo-Yo out as she swung by, making her way to-

FABOOOM

-What looked like a trail of black flames sending her two partners into a wall. "Okay … lessoned learned … I'm never skipping leg day again." Spidey groaned.

"Hahahaahaahaha! Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha, beatcha, beatcha, beatcha!" A familiar voice said in a manic manner as she saw … wait . was Batroc beating up Spidey and Chat?

"Spidey, weren't you the one saying he was just a run of the mill guy?" She asked, landing next to them. "Or are you really all bluster?"

"If you're feeling confident, why not take a whack at him yourself, prove just how much better you are at kicking butt than me." He rolled his eyes.

"Alright, maybe I will." She threw her yoyo and wrapped them around his legs.

"RIP UP THE FAKES!" He hopped with both his legs tied up, delivering a painful strike to her chest as she was sent into the same wall as the other two. "HAha, better better better!"

"Wow, you are better … better at getting your butt kicked. We lasted ten seconds, you lasted five." The annoyance snickered, before coughing. "Okay, on a serious note, I think he cracked my ribs."

"How did you two beat him the last time?" Chat asked, getting his bearings.

"Last time he wasn't this strong." Ladybug groaned. "He was just some acrobat thinking he could get by with fancy flips and kicks.

"No acrobat! I'm gonna be a superhero!" They cackled. "Get rid of the fakes and rip em up, real fun real run!" Batroc jumped and kicked Ladybug in the stomach. "Hero! hero hero hero hero!" Each 'hero' was punctuated with another painful kick to the stomach … as white and black sparks came from his legs.

"Is it just me, or is the glow-!" Spidey delivered a punch to the guy's face and sent him into a car. "Looking really familiar to anyone else?"

"The Inner Demons must have got to him and gave him a leg up." Ladybug noted. "How did they get him to join their side though? Wasn't he just in it for the money while he ran away?"

"HERO! I CAN BE THE REAL HERO!" The sparks flew even brighter as she began jumping all over the place, sending a strike into Chat Noir staff.

"Well unless he's suddenly flipped the switch for bright black and white neon lights, my cat-like curiosity is telling me his power up isn't exactly doing wonders for his personality." Chat Noir grunted as he was sent into the wall again.

"Great. This guy isn't in with the gang, he's a mentally broken distraction with a strong kick." Spider-Man grunted, throwing out his chain to try and grab the leaping criminal. "The demons are probably either long gone or doing something else while this guy keeps us busy with dangerous kicks."

"Whatever the case is-!" Ladybug shouted as she tried to send out her Yo-yo, only for Batroc to backflip and stomp on her weapon, before shooting himself like a cannonball into the two of them. "-We still need to stop him before he causes any more trouble!"

"Me trouble!? No, you trouble! You false heroes! You argue, you fight yourselves! I strike you down, I become hero!"

"Oh you're interested in the job position!?" Spidey asked as he ducked under a kick, landing a punch against the man's side. "Some questions to start you off. Do you wanna be a superhero manager, can you do things other than look dumb, and we sadly don't have a 41K, is that gonna be alright?"

"FALSE HERO!" The man leapt forward, his foot covered in the black flames as he decimated a nearby lamppost trying to knock Spidey's head off.

"You know, as powerful as his legs are now … it's still all he's using." Chat noir noted, rubbing the side of his head. "Pretty limited arsenal wise."

"Yeah, hit him with an air conditioner earlier, he's a normal guy besides the kicks and leaps." Ladybug admitted. "Problem is he's moving fast enough to make it troublesome to hit his upper body, and his legs sting too much to grab … new plan. Lucky Charm!" If she got another suggestion for kissing, she was going to strangle the universe.

In her hand was … a bungee choad. "Not sure that's going to be enough to tie his legs together!" Spider-man shouted.

Ladybug looked around. There wasn't much in the area aside from a busted street lamp, a few car doors ground, and her two partners. "Spidey, keep Batroc in the middle of the street, Chat Noir, stretch the cord out around the area as much as possible."

She placed one end in his hand. "M'Lady, I don't think it'll …" Her partner trailed off as she stretched it. "... go without snapping …"

"Magic item, why wouldn't it be extra stretchy?" She argued as she began stretching it around the cars, the street lamps, around every big object she could find. If the chord wasn't enough to trap him in one place, then they would force him to stick in one place.

"So Leapy, not sure if you really get this hero gig. I mean I know it's a cliche for heroes to fight other heroes, but you can't do it on the first day. At least build up a rep that isn't 'funny flipping french man'.

"You're not heroes! Heroes work to save till they die!"

"All work and no play makes Spidey a dull boy, my friend!" He snickered. "Plus, again, you robbed homeless people, so you're still scum."

"Spidey, get out of the way!" Ladybug shouted as she and Chat noir met, the chord looking like it was barely holding together."

"I think we stretched it a little too thin." Chat commentated as Spidey jumped out.

"No, just enough." She grinned as she flicked the rope. "Cataclysm the bottom of that lamppost."

"Cataclysm!" He shouted, hitting it as the rust formed, the object moving forward … and the sudden momentum causing everything else to snap and fly all to the center.

"COWARD! A REAL HERO DOESN'T RUN IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIG-"

CRASSSSSSH

Everything hit Batroc all at once, the rubble, the car doors, everything that he broke trying to fight them collided into his body, causing the man to groan, before his eyes rolled into his head.

"Wow … your lucky charm was particularly brutal today." Spidey muttered.

"Better hope you're not on the receiving end of it." She smirked, sending the snapped bungee cord into the air. "Miraculous LADYBUG!"

The magic instantly filled the air, restoring the damage, and the black and white glow coming off of Batroc. "Ugh…my head." The petty criminal woke up in a daze. "I had the worst nightmare that I wanted to be a productive member of society and actually help people."

"Wait, wasn't the charm supposed to let him get away?" Chat asked. "It's why you did it before we started fighting."

"Hm…. kind of stretching it a bit… but it's possible that whatever mojo the inner demons put on him wore off….so he doesn't count as something dangerous to send far away." Spidey suggested.

"... Do …" Chat started. "Do you think they're all under that … fighting to the death for someone against their will?"

"It's possible … but the inner demons didn't talk as maniacally as this guy did." Ladybug observed. "But … if they can brainwash people against their will and give them powers … we might have stumbled upon a threat even bigger than Hawkmoth."

"Just what we needed." Spidey grumbled. "Two mind controlling villains that never show themselves … alright, we'll try again after you recharge, see if they left anything behind we can trace, move back and …" He trailed off, as they all turned to the criminal who was making his way to a building, before he noticed the eyes of the heroes.

"Ah … well you all seem busy … so I'll just let you get to that … SO LONG!" He jumped into the air.

"Adhesion." Spidey stuck his hand out.

"Don't think this is the last of me, for nothing can stop the Leaper-!" The man was suddenly sent flying backwards. "No fair! You already beat me up twi-!"

SMACK

And the criminal was knocked out instantly. "Normally I'd refrain from using that move against such a low level baddie…but again, he stole from homeless people and just kicked us through three walls. My conscience is rather clear at the moment." Spidey noted, wrapping the man around with his chain. "Now I'm gonna drop him off at the police station before I detransform. Catch you lovebugs later."

"We're not-why do you need to get the last word in!?" Ladybug yelled as Spidey was already out of sight.

"Because it always feels lovely to have a joke and not be a punchline for it." Chat grinned. "Example, should we go for a midnight stroll or chat about our feelings?"

"I think you should go before you bug me and I turned your face noir all over."

"See, we already share the same sense of humor, it's destined to be, M'lady."

"The universe can be wrong, you know!" She shouted, swinging away.

Adrien was getting better at fixing his sleep schedule. Now he could at least fake being fully charged and awake in front of his friends and Father. "Mr. Li, it's nice to see you again." Father said, offering a polite yet formal handshake. Something that was more rare nowadays with his father becoming more and more reclusive.

"Like, Mr. Agreste. It is always a pleasure when I can meet my generous donors in person." Peter had told him quite a lot about Martin Li, how much he's helped him and his Aunt get settled in Paris. Adrien found himself owing quite a lot to him too… without him, his best friend wouldn't be living in the same city as he was now. "And I believe this is the Young Adrien that you've spoken highly about?"

"Greetings Mr. Li. My Father and my friend, Peter, spoke kindly about you." He smiled.

"Ah, so you're friends with Mr. Parker. You keep good company." Mr. Li smiled.

"Debetable." Father muttered under his breath. He was never going to convince him about any of his friends, that Adrain was sure of, so he would just have to let little slights like that go. "I hope the latest transaction has gone through well."

"Yes, of course. Thanks to your quality fabrics and stitching, we'll be able to afford enough clothes for FEAST during the winter, although some of our budget will have to be allocated into the minor damages caused by today's little incident."

"I could have sworn the 'miraculous cure' fixed all that." Father said with a raised eyebrow of confusion.

"I could've sworn so myself, but apparently it's not specific." Mr. Li sighed. "Just over a week ago, a violent gang invaded the shelter. Ladybug was able to fix the damage, but the criminals got away."

"A shame then. Feel free to use the funds as you see fit." Father stated.

"As always, FEAST thanks you for being one of the more supportive members of the community." Mr. Li smiled.

"With so many super villains popping up nowadays, we all have to do our best to contribute." Father nodded. "For the betterment of the world, of course." Even if his father was cold and unfeeling most of the time, there was a heart underneath it all. Adrien was glad that people like him and Mr. Li were around… .though that gave him a slightly morbid thought.

Two thieves came to Feast …both having encounters with the Inner Demons. It may be his cat-like curiosity, but Adrien was starting to suspect that wasn't just a coincidence. Please … please let him be wrong though.