Chapter 3: Reaction

Marinette was still on her knees, crying. "I've lost everything!"

"You haven't lost me," said Chat Noir.

"Why don't you just give up on me? I lost half the Miraculous, I'm the worst Guardian ever! I wanted to control everything, I didn't listen to you, I lied to you, I kept you at a distance! Every time you offered me a helping hand, I never took it! I really made a mess of everything!..."

"M'lady..." said Chat, reaching out a hand to her.

Marinette blushed and took his hand. He raised her up and gave her a hug.

"We're gonna get them back one by one, until the very last. And we'll make sure this never happens again!" said Chat.

"You... and me?" said Marinette. "I'm not even a hero anymore."

"You, the best hero team leader that ever was, your team, the people of Paris, and me, your loyal partner."

Marinette sniffled and nodded.

"We need to get out of here and work out a plan to defeat Strikeback with the heroes we still have," said Chat. "You tell me the plan and I'll take it to the others."

"I don't have a plan," said Marinette. "I had an idea with Kaalki, but she's gone."

"You'll think of something," said Chat.

They headed for the ladder, but before they could climb up Su-Han came around a corner and confronted them.

"So, I was right!" said Su-Han. "A child is not qualified to be a Guardian."

"I admit it," said Marinette. "I screwed up. I trusted someone I shouldn't have. Are you here to take the Guardianship from me?"

"Yes," said Su-Han. "I told you that I would if you failed. I want the Mother Box."

"It must be empty by now," said Marinette.

"I won't let him take it, m'Lady!" said Chat Noir.

"I will take your Miraculous also, reckless kitten," said Su-Han.

"You think now, when a villain has half of the Miraculous, is a good time to change Guardians and pick a new Black Cat?" asked Chat. "You've sat on the sidelines and done squat to help us. Have you even found anyone you can trust to take over as a holder?"

"I'm not familiar enough with the modern world," said Su-Han. "At the Temple there are qualified holders in training. I will go back to Tibet and get them."

"And leave Paris without protection?" asked Marinette.

"That is not my problem," said Su-Han. "If I take the other Miraculous with me, there is little the villain can do."

"He has enough power to come after you and take whatever Miraculous you have before you can get back there," said Marinette.

Su-Han frowned and said nothing.

Chat said, "We need Marinette and all of her memories to keep the fight going here. She knows who all the other holders are."

"I don't think I should tell you who they are, and if I lose my memories I won't be able to," said Marinette. "Even if you find them, they won't trust you or give up their Miraculous easily. While you're infighting with them, Shadow Moth has free rein and he'll win."

"Reluctantly, I must agree," said Su-Han. "With so many miraculous lost, and in such evil hands, this is not the time to try to replace you. After this villain is defeated, then we shall see."

"So what are you going to do?" asked Chat. "Help us and train us?"

"It's too late for that to be effective. I will go back to the Temple for more trained disciples."

Su-Han bounded away down the sewer tunnel.

"Let's get out of here," said Chat Noir. "We have a fight to finish."


They climbed the ladder and were surprised to find the city restored.

"Adrien must have done this with my Miraculous," said Marinette. "I wasn't expecting that..."

"I'll check with the others," said Chat, opening his baton phone. "Huh... there's a message on the Ladybug channel."

"Let's hear it," said Marinette grimly.

"Remaining Miraculous holders, you have lost," said a sinister voice on the recording. "I have defeated Ladybug and taken her Miraculous, as well as all the others in her Miracle Box. With her yo-yo, I am able to listen to your communications and trace your movements while you are transformed. Go home and don't dare to interfere with me. Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Ryuko: I know who you are and where you live."

"Oh shit!" said Marinette and Chat Noir at the same time.

"I have a new name. I am the monarch of all I survey, so I will now be known as Monarch. I am taking over the city – I will impose curfews and lock-downs. The others of you that I don't know will be caught if you try to act against me."

Chat shut down his baton-phone and they looked at each other in horror.

"So Adrien took Tikki straight to Monarch. They're working hand in hand," said Marinette. "It all makes sense when I think about how Adrien obeys his father. Gabriel Agreste is Monarch!"

"Wait a moment," said Chat Noir. "That can't be right. You know Adrien has an identical cousin, Félix. He could have been the one on the train. He's sneaky enough."

"I'm positive it's Adrien," said Marinette. "I spoke to him just before he got on the train. He was with Nathalie and Lila, going out of town... just before the huge attack. Of course he was spared from Risk! Monarch was getting him to safety before he struck Paris. That is, until I stupidly teleported onto the train and offered him a Miraculous on a silver platter."

"I still think you're wrong about Adrien."

"Where's your evidence?"

Chat looked troubled. He couldn't refute Marinette without giving away his identity, and he knew she wouldn't want that.

"It's... nothing I guess, just a hunch. What are you going to do, go public with the accusation?"

"I can't right now. Monarch is taking over. We won't be able to get help from the police. Adrien knows my secret identity. Monarch didn't make that part of his boast, so maybe Adrien is holding that over me. If I tell his secret, he can tell mine to his father."

"Are you sure Gabriel Agreste is Monarch? What about the Collector?"

"He could have akumatized a sentimonster of himself. He could have done that both times. He's had the Peacock all along, and just kept it as an ace in the hole."

"Should I detransform? What he said about the tracer..."

"He's lying about that. I've studied the manual and it can't be used on a fellow holder if you have bad intentions."

"Still, I need to get back home. My family will miss me, and I don't want to leave questions that Monarch may follow up."

"All right, Kitty. I need to get home too."


Adrien wasn't sure about his father – the sudden world trip was indeed suspicious, and Félix coming to replace him made it even worse. There was also that strange lens he found in the atelier... Adrien was going to have to follow up by himself, undercover.

When Adrien detransformed, he found several messages on his phone from his father. He called back.

"Adrien, where have you been?" Gabriel demanded.

"Félix offered to take my place and talk to you. I really didn't want to go on that trip and I couldn't face talking to you about it."

"Don't worry, the trip is canceled. Why didn't you pick up the phone right away?"

"I got too close to a monster that was attacking the city, and I got hurt. I don't remember all that happened but the ladybugs saved me."

"That was very disobedient of you. Nathalie collapsed on the train once she realized you were gone. She is in a hospital in London, in a coma."

"Oh no! I was afraid Nathalie was getting sick.. just like Mother."

"Come back home and then we'll go see her together. We have to make sure she's getting the best care... and she has something I need."


Later, Rena Furtive visited Marinette at home in her room. She was very careful and used Mirage to hide her trail.

"Alya, I'm glad to see you! I messed up so bad!" said Marinette with her eyes full of tears.

"I messed up too. I'm sorry. I— I couldn't lie to Nino, we share everything, you know?"

"I get it. I share everything with my best friend, and I wasn't able to lie to her either."

"You shouldn't ever trust me with it again. It's too risky, now that Monarch knows. But I don't need to be a superhero to be your friend. You know that, right?"

Marinette nodded.

"Trixx, I renounce you," said Alya in a choked voice.

Alya handed over the Miraculous.

"You should become the Fox holder, Marinette. We need you in the field more than ever."

"The others want to keep going?"

"Of course they do."

"I don't know if I can be any better with the Fox than with the Ladybug."

"You've been amazing as Ladybug. What happened?"

Marinette explained what she believed about Adrien and the Dog Miraculous.

"It's unbelievable. What a rat!" said Alya.

"At least I'm completely over my crush," said Marinette.

"Yeah," said Alya, giving her a comforting hug.

"You can help me start making some plans..." said Marinette.