Chapter Seventeen: Imago

Rain fell over the darkened Paris skyline, with the only light provided coming from the numerous searchlights that patrolled the streets. In addition to the clouds, zeppelins filled the skies, their purpose unknown, but sinister.

From a rooftop, Time-Hopper felt the rain pattering against her skin as she looked over the city. Her latest mission had been a success: they had a lock on the temporal signature of the Gabriel that had used the injector. It had led them here, to this timeline, where he lay hidden. Now all that remained was to stop him, and to put an end to the Ripplers for good.

Darner sped in from a distance, stopping on the roof. "They're almost done setting up the warp-blockers," she reported. "Hopefully that'll stop this Gabriel from escaping once we find him."

"It will," replied Time-Hopper. "Once those things come on, nobody is going in or out of this universe. We've finally got him, and he won't be escaping from us this time."

Despite her boss's confidence, Darner didn't seem so sure. "Um…are you sure we can handle this alone? If he can take entire universes off the map all by himself, maybe we should wait for reinforcements. Or at least observe before moving in."

Time-Hopper sighed. "We can't afford to wait any longer. Every second we spend sitting around talking is another timeline this Gabriel could destroy. And if that other Alix and her posse manage to track us down, they'll only keep getting in our way. That's the problem: neither of them know when to quit. Which means we can't afford to quit either, even if it means rushing into danger."

For a moment, Darner eyed her superior. "If I'm allowed to ask, Ma'am, you seem to have it out for this other Alix. What she said about this being just about the credit…that wasn't true, was it?"

"Of course not!" snapped Time-Hopper, before calming herself. "Okay, yes, I do want to curry favor with the Director. But that's only because the three of us deserve it. We work hard to keep the multiverse safe, and that…that delinquent isn't just putting herself in danger, but she's jeopardizing everything we do, all because of her selfish pride. Which is rich, considering she was practically handed a spot next to Director Bunnyx despite doing nothing to earn it, and then threw it all away like it didn't matter at all!"

Darner was starting to think her grudge against her counterpart was more personal than she let on. "I-I see. So, we'll be going after him in a moment, then?"

"Yes. Activate the warp-blockers as soon as I give the signal. We'll track him down and–no…" A look of fury crossed Time-Hopper's face as she stared off into the distance. Although she couldn't see it, she knew the feeling of a Bunnyx creating a Burrow all too well.

Realizing what this meant, Darner gulped. "It's her, isn't it?" she said, resigned.

Time-Hopper stormed past her comrade. "Activate the blockers. Now. Then get Killer Bee and group up as soon as possible. We're putting an end to this for good." She leapt from one rooftop to the next, heading in the direction of the portal.

From the portal emerged Bunnyx, Hawkmoth, Marinette, and Blackbug, all on high alert. None were sure exactly what awaited them in this dimension, only that it was very likely highly dangerous. After a moment of studying their surroundings, they figured it was safe–for now.

"No sign of the ITAA," said Gabriel. "If they are here, they likely know we are here as well. We need to move quickly if we plan on finding my counterpart before them."

"And then what?" asked Marinette. "This guy's been going around eating dimensions for breakfast. Your entire group couldn't even scratch him last time–what are we supposed to do this time?"

Bunnyx was silent for a moment before replying. "Last time was different. We had no idea what we were dealing with, and he took us by surprise. This time, we'll be the ones getting the drop on him. If we get lucky, we'll end this without a fight. But we have to find him first."

The others waited for her to lead the way, but she stayed still, staring at them expectantly. "Um…so, are we going to?" Adrien asked.

"Yes, just as soon as you two hold hands!" she replied, annoyed.

"Oh, right!" Adrien held out his hand, readying himself for the ensuing vision. It was possible it would be stronger here, now that the target was in the same universe. "You ready?"

Gabriel held out his hand as well. "I suppose so." The moment the two of them clasped each other's hands, Gabriel's consciousness was thrust into the mind of another. He could see all of Paris laid out beneath him, with the rain telling him they had the right universe. From this vantage point, the only place his counterpart could be was atop one of the zeppelins that hung in the sky. And from the positioning of the landmarks…

The two of them were thrust back into reality, gasping. "Okay, I think I know where he is," said Adrien, catching his breath. "But how we're going to get up there, that's another story."

"And why's that?" asked Marinette. Wordlessly, both Gabriel and Adrien turned upward to look at one of the zeppelins–one a good deal larger than the others, seeming to serve as a base for Paris' occupiers.

Bunnyx sighed. "Well, nobody said this would be easy. I could try portaling us up there, but I'll have to be careful I don't accidentally send us into another time."

While thinking of a solution, Gabriel glanced down at Marinette's bat, studded with broken pieces of her reality's Miraculous. "Marinette…would your weapon happen to contain shards of the Miraculous of the horse?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she replied. "Pretty much all of 'em, except your two, and his two." She nudged in Adrien's direction. "Why?"

Before he could give his answer, a figure fell down from above, landing not far from where they stood. The bright green costume gave away who it was immediately, much to the party's chagrin. "Well, look who saved us the trouble of tracking her down!" said Bunnyx.

"You were warned, all of you, on multiple occasions," Time-Hopper growled. Her legs surged with power, which she was more than ready to use. "Yet you keep insisting on playing the hero. Tell me, is the glory worth getting even more of your friends killed?"

Bunnyx's hand tightened around the handle of her umbrella, but she remained still. "This isn't about glory. None of this is for glory. All I want is revenge on the one who killed my friends, and to stop him from killing anyone else. If anything, you're the one who's trying to take all the credit for this for yourself!"

Killer Bee and Darner appeared on the rooftops, hopping down beside their commander. "At least I'm supposed to be here," Time-Hopper replied. "You gave up your right to interfere with the multiverse the moment you walked away from the ITAA! We could've been tracking this guy together, but what you're doing now makes you no better than a common criminal!"

"Oh, don't make me laugh!" Bunnyx spat. "If I'd stuck around, you know what I'd be doing? I'd be sitting around, waiting for the 'right time,' while Gabriel destroys yet another timeline! And don't pretend that you'd have gotten anywhere without piggybacking on our efforts!"

"Hey, why don't we talk this out?" said Adrien, stepping in between the two Alixes. He tried to keep his tone as gentle as possible, wanting to avoid riling either of them up any further. "We may not have gotten along in the past, but right now, we want the same thing. Bunnyx is right: saving the world–er, worlds is what matters most. Even though we might disagree on each other's methods…we're all heroes here, right?"

For a moment, it seemed like his speech might have convinced them. Both Alixes backed down, with their respective groups waiting for them to make the next call. Then, Time-Hopper looked up at Darner. "Activate the warp-blockers."

Marinette narrowed her eyes as Darner did so. "Uh, you're doing that to trap the other guy, right? Not us?"

Rather than responding, she simply produced a pair of cuffs, with her subordinates doing the same. "By order of the ITAA, I am placing all of you under arrest for interfering with official ITAA business." They stepped forward, preparing to detain the group.

"Wait, this isn't what I meant at all!" said Adrien. "If you're gonna arrest us, can it at least wait until after the bigger issue is dealt with?"

But it seemed Bunnyx had enough of waiting, thrusting out her umbrella. "Burrow!" A few sparks shot forth from the tip, but no portal appeared. "Damn warp-blockers!"

Smirking, Time-Hopper launched herself at her counterpart. Before she could latch the cuffs onto her, she found herself intercepted. Gabriel had dashed in to knock her aside, before rallying the rest of his team. "Quickly, to the zeppelin!" he ordered.

All four of them hurried in the direction of the largest of the blimps. "You're not escaping this time!" declared Killer Bee, taking to the skies in pursuit. Darner waited for Time-Hopper to get her bearings, and then the two of them followed.

Killer Bee fired a volley of her paralyzing projectiles at the heroes. Bunnyx protected herself and Hawkmoth with her umbrella, while Marinette swiped a few of them out of the air to protect Adrien and herself–but mostly Adrien. Energy built up in her bat from absorbing these bees, which proved to be bad news for Darner.

Speeding in straight at her, she was not quite aware of what the girl's bat was capable of. With one well-placed swing, she was practically thrown to the other side of Paris.

"Darner!" shouted Time-Hopper, watching her holler her way through the air. Even without the power of a Miraculous, this girl was still dangerous. She zeroed in on this new threat, leaping over rooftops until she made her way to Marinette. Tackling her to the ground, Marinette found herself pinned down by the Hunter. "Final warning–stand down!"

Marinette reached for her bat, which was inches away from her grip. "Not a chance!" she replied, glaring up at her captor. She continued to stretch her arm towards her weapon, only for Time-Hopper to kick the bat away. Gabriel, taking cover from Killer Bee's barrage, noticed it land near him.

If there was a time to enact his plan, it was now. He picked it up, allowing an Akuma to fly forth from his cane and into the bat. It began to glow as he tossed it back to its owner. "Marinette!"

While she heard his call, so did Time-Hopper, who had hoisted Marinette up and placed her in cuffs. She reached out for the bat, only for Blackbug to tackle her out of the way. Marinette reached out and caught the glowing weapon, a glowing white mask appearing over her eyes.

"Miraculator, I allow you to call upon the latent power of the shattered Miraculous you wield! Their power shall be yours once again!" Hawkmoth declared.

In a flash of light, Marinette became Miraculator. Growing much taller, her body was now covered in bright red armor that one might expect to see warriors wearing in ancient China. Her bat had become an iron club, images representing the powers of the Miraculous emblazoned on its studs. She easily snapped the cuffs on her wrists, before pointing the club at her enemies. "Now, face the wrath of Miraculator!"

Killer Bee was the first to react, unleashing her bees towards this new threat. As before, Marinette simply deflected these projectiles, which were absorbed by her weapon. Glowing, the studs lining the club began to rotate, until the symbol of the horse lined up from the end to the handle.

Having absorbed enough energy, Marinette turned around and swung the club. "Voyage!" A portal shot forth from the weapon, opening up to give them access to the zeppelin where their true opponent dwelled.

"Now, go!" shouted Gabriel. He darted through the portal, closely followed by Bunnyx and Miraculator. Time-Hopper, who had been grappling with Blackbug, shoved him aside and leapt through as well before he could stop her.

Before Blackbug headed through as well, he heard Darner approaching in the distance. He quickly created a small ramp, which diverted her course just enough to send her flying past the portal. "Not agaaaaain!" she cried, sailing through the air once more. Blackbug headed through, the portal closing behind him.

Not wanting to wait for her comrade again, an annoyed Killer Bee flew upward, taking the long way to their destination.

The group found themselves on a walkway outside of the zeppelin itself. Before they could continue, Time-Hopper shot to the front, kicking Gabriel square in the chest and knocking him back into Bunnyx, who in turn was knocked back into Miraculator. She, being much larger, caught them both. "This has gone far enough," Time-Hopper said. "Don't make me call for backup!"

"How're they gonna get here with the warp-blockers in place?" said Bunnyx, calling her bluff. She darted forward, swinging her umbrella, but Time-Hopper simply jumped over the attack and brought her legs down hard. The walkway shook from the impact, with the others nearly losing their balance.

Time-Hopper shot forward, only to find herself blocked by Miraculator's club. "Go find Gabriel–I'll keep her busy!" Hawkmoth and Bunnyx ran down the path towards a doorway. Before Time-Hopper could give chase, Miraculator's weapon activated another power. "Second Chance!"

Time-Hopper fell to the floor, her leg grabbed by Miraculator. "What the!?" She aimed a kick at her head with her free leg, but she simply tilted it to the side. After being tossed to the other side of the walkway, Time-Hopper tried to run along the wall, only to be blocked by a strike from Miraculator's club. "How are you doing that!?"

"We've done this before," Miraculator announced, readying her club for another attack. "You're not getting past me!"

"Then I'll go through you!" Time-Hopper launched herself at Miraculator, once again blocked by her weapon. She slid underneath the guardrail to avoid another strike, swinging around and landing atop the club before driving her knee into her opponent's face, causing her to stagger back.

Before she could get past, however, Miraculator had one last trick up her sleeve. "Shell-ter!" A giant green globe enveloped the pair, confining them to this section of the airship. Time-Hopper simply glared at her captor, who simply smirked.

Bunnyx and Hawkmoth made their way through the door by kicking it down. "Now, we must be on the lookout for–" began the latter, only to realize that they were not alone. The room they had just burst into was filled with gas-masked soldiers, armed and ready for battle. And it appeared they were not welcome.

"Rebels! Open fire!" one of them shouted. A multitude of guns were trained on their position, then the bullets flew. Bunnyx opened her umbrella to block the barrage, with Hawkmoth crouching behind her.

"It seems we have company–this complicates things," said Hawkmoth. He unsheathed his sword, waiting for them to run out of ammo. "Allow me to uncomplicate them."

When the soldiers stopped firing to reload, Hawkmoth leapt out from behind cover, his blade slicing through their weapons. With them caught by surprise, Bunnyx rushed in to finish them off, striking each in turn with her umbrella.

Before she could defeat all of them, one dashed through a nearby door. "Go! We must get the jewels to the Oberkommandant!" shouted his apparent superior, as he sealed the door behind him. The higher-ranked one then tried to attack Bunnyx, only to be thrown against the wall with a single punch.

"Jewels, huh? I think I know what your counterpart's doing on this thing," she said. "These guys have the Miraculous."

The concept brought no small amount of dread to the pair, even compared to the other Gabriel. "If we stop them from making the wish, we can prevent two crises at once. Are you ready to save Paris twice over?"

Bunnyx grinned, gesturing towards the sealed door. "After you!" Hawkmoth's sword sliced the door clean off its hinges, and the pair proceeded further into the vessel.

Meanwhile, Blackbug had emerged a moment later than the others, nearly falling off of the airship. With a shout, he quickly caught himself with his nunchucks, pulling himself back onboard. "That could've been bad. Hey, guys, why didn't you warn me? …Guys?"

Due to the zeppelin being in motion, while the portal stayed still, Blackbug had ended up in an entirely different section of it. Deciding to meet up with the others, he climbed up a nearby ladder to reach the top.

Though he didn't have time to stop and admire it, the view from this high up was quite impressive. "Man, you can see the whole city from here. Too bad there's no time for sightseeing." He climbed to the very top of the airship…and was promptly greeted by a multitude of armed guards.

"Halt!" one of them shouted, aiming their guns at him. He slowly raised his arms, playing it cool.

"Well, hey there," he said. "I must've taken a wrong turn somewhere back there. You didn't happen to see some other guys heading this way, did you? Guy in a purple suit and mask, blue and white bunny, armored warrior? …No?"

The soldiers were just about to fire, when a different barrage swept over them. A flurry of bees darted past Adrien, colliding with the soldiers and freezing them all in place.

Adrien turned around to see Killer Bee rising up to meet him. "Hey, nice shot!" he said, offering a thumbs-up.

"I was aiming for you," she hissed, shooting more bees at him. Blackbug dodged out of the way, darting through the frozen soldiers and sliding down the other side of the blimp. Killer Bee gave chase, never letting up her assault.

Eventually, Adrien used Cataclysm to make a hole into the ship, sealing it back up with Lucky Charm before Killer Bee could get through. "Sorry, but this ship is bug-proof!" Waving goodbye, he headed down some stairs, not entirely sure where he was going, but reasoning he would know when he got there.

More soldiers attempted to block his path, but now that he had the drop on them, they weren't any challenge for him. A few strikes from his nunchucks put them down for the count as he continued on. Before long, he found himself in the engine room.

"Hmm…I wonder if grounding this big balloon would make things easier for us…" He approached one of the engines, reaching out his hand to corrode it, only for a bee to impact right where he was about to touch. Killer Bee had found another way in, rising up from the opening beneath the engines. Adrien only sighed, shaking his head. "Just can't get enough of me, can you?"

Killer Bee was unamused, responding with more bees. Adrien deflected them with his nunchucks, taking cover behind the engines. She gave chase, searching for him as he hid in the shadows. "Come out here and fight, you coward!"

"As you wish!" His voice came from right above her. Before she could turn around, Blackbug leapt onto her and tackled her to the ground, holding her arms as she fired bee after bee up into the ceiling. "Careful! You wouldn't want to pop this balloon, would you?"

"I wouldn't mind popping you!" Killer Bee then spat a bee from her mouth, which Adrien definitely wasn't expecting. He wasn't paralyzed immediately, but he felt noticeably more stiff as he leapt back. She got to her feet and fired several more, though he was able to deflect these.

Neither of them had noticed due to their fight, but the battlefield had begun to shift slightly. The room, and likely the entire zeppelin, had begun to tilt towards the front. Eventually, the entire ship shook violently as it began its descent, making it impossible to miss.

Adrien steadied himself against a wall, while Killer Bee took to the air. "What are those guys doing up there?" he wondered to himself. However, it soon became apparent that the cause was much closer to them. He watched in surprise as a black corrosion began creeping up the engines–the exact same that would have been caused by a Cataclysm.

He wasn't the only one to notice this, with Killer Bee taking note as well. "What did you do?" she asked angrily. "Are you trying to kill us!?"

"This wasn't me!" he said. Whoever was responsible, it didn't matter right now, as the zeppelin was going down. Disengaging from the fight, Adrien raced to find the others, Killer Bee giving chase. "I've gotta warn everyone before this whole thing goes up in a fireball!"

The lone soldier raced through the narrow halls of the airship, the Miraculous of the black cat gripped tightly in his hand. His fellows did their best to stop the pair of rebels behind him, but their guns were not as effective as a cane and an umbrella. Still, if he could just reach the bridge…"

"There he is, quickly!" shouted Gabriel. The soldier was able to keep his distance due to the tight passageways restricting their movement, not to mention the multitude of guards hindering them. Nevertheless, they pressed on.

Bunnyx battered a pair of soldiers aside. "This would be a lot easier for us all if you'd stop!" she called after their target. "Seriously, things are about to get real bad for all of us!"

He didn't listen, though she didn't really expect him to. Soon after, he reached a sealed door, which he was able to force open. After locking it behind him, he hurried into the room, from which the zeppelin was controlled. "Oberkommandant! I have the ring! You must hurry!"

The soldier then sprinted up to the man overseeing the airship's operations. Stern-looking, with a good deal of scars and an extravagant military uniform, he grinned widely as the soldier handed over the Miraculous. "Yes! With these, the world will be reshaped into a true paradise!"

Hawkmoth and Bunnyx forced their way through the door just in time to see him holding up both the ring and the earrings of the ladybug. "Stop! If you make this wish, everyone is going to die!" shouted Hawkmoth.

"No, only the weak and the feeble will die!" he replied, as the jewels began to glow. "I will craft a world in which only the worthy will be allowed to survive! The scum of society will be wiped off the face of the earth! The Reich will last for eterni–"

The Oberkommandant's big speech was interrupted when the entire zeppelin suddenly tilted forward. Everyone standing stumbled, including him, dropping the Miraculous to the floor. "Quick! Get 'em!" shouted Bunnyx, going after them as they clattered around.

More soldiers moved in, firing at the pair as everyone searched for the jewels. The Oberkommandant scrambled on his hands and knees after one of the earrings that had tumbled under a monitor. Before he could grab it, Gabriel knocked him aside, picking it up for himself.

Bunnyx shielded herself from incoming bullets as she searched as well. "Find anything?" she asked.

"I have one," Gabriel replied, holding up the earring. "No sign of the other yet." One of the soldiers leapt onto his back, trying to wrest it out of his hand. After a brief struggle, he threw him off. "Where is the ring?"

Suddenly, a piercing pain shot through his neck. The Oberkommandant had found the other earring, driving the pin through Gabriel's costume. Although not a major wound, it surprised him enough for the man to snatch its twin out of his grip before dashing away.

Hawkmoth gave chase, but the Oberkommandant grabbed hold of the wheel, spinning it violently to one side. The zeppelin followed suit, and Gabriel was knocked off his feet and into the wall. Their enemy then revealed he had recovered the ring.

"You are too late, la resistance!" he taunted, once again holding onto the Miraculous. Do not worry, though. Your City of Lights will still prosper in my new world…under Deutchland's flag!" Red and green lights filled the room. "Say goodbye to your country, Frenchman!"

Once again, his speech was interrupted, this time by a bee being shot into his neck. He promptly froze in place, and the glow subsided. "That one I meant to hit," Killer Bee said proudly, having just entered the room alongside Blackbug.

"Quick, get the Miraculous!" shouted Bunnyx, with everyone making a mad dash for them. All four fighters converged on the Oberkommandant at once, struggling with each other for ownership of the ring and earrings. "I've got 'em! I've got–"

Bunnyx was then stunned by a few bees hitting her back. Before either Adrien or Gabriel could reach her, Killer Bee swooped in to grab both Miraculous from her. "You mean I've got 'em!" she taunted, flying out the door.

Adrien started to give chase, but Hawkmoth stopped him. "No time–we have to leave!" Out the window, they could see that the zeppelin had almost reached the ground. He helped him carry Bunnyx out of the room to safety. Or, at least as safe as they could get when a crash was imminent.

Meanwhile, Killer Bee darted over to Miraculator and Time-Hopper, who were still fighting. "Boss, time to go!" she said. The other Alix leapt off of the ship, with Killer Bee catching her and carrying her to safety.

"And she doesn't even try to help us," growled Marinette, watching the pair fly away. Behind her, the others approached. "I don't know what you guys did, but was taking down the zeppelin really the best idea?"

"It wasn't me!" said Adrien. "I mean, I was going to, but someone else beat me to it! Look, bad plans aside, we need to get off this thing before we go up like the…what's that American holiday? Whatever, the one with the fireworks, that one!"

But even if they had a way to get off safely, they wouldn't have been able to reach it in time. The airship was not mere meters above the ground, already scraping its canvas along the buildings it had thankfully avoided. "Everyone, huddle up!" Marinette shouted, getting everyone close together. "Please work, please work…Shell-ter!"

Metal screeched and flames roared as the massive airship crashed down into the street. The collision tore up the stone, not to mention tearing off the fronts of buildings and sweeping through every car that was in its way. With one final creak, the zeppelin was still, leaving behind it a flaming gouge carved into Paris. The people emerged from their hiding places, eager to get a closer look at the catastrophe.

Shaken, but alive, the four emerged from the debris once Marinette's Shell-ter subsided. "Well," said Bunnyx, "I did not expect anything like that to happen to me anytime soon. Everybody okay?"

Gabriel quickly scanned over the group. "No serious injuries. But no sign of my counterpart, either. If he really was on the ship, he has no doubt fled by now."

"Speaking of," said Adrien, "back while I was fighting Chloe, I saw the ship's engines get eaten away by what really looked like a Cataclysm. Could that've been him? Was he just sitting back, watching us fight that whole time?"

"Probably," said Bunnyx. "Either way, we stopped that guy from making his wish, and saved this universe from one of two horrible fates. Now we can focus our efforts on finding him."

Marinette stepped forward. "About that…so far, he's been going after both Miraculous together, right? Since Time-Hopper has both, won't he be going after her?"

"About that…" said Bunnyx with a slight grin. "I may have swapped out the earrings with my fake ones before she took 'em!"

Adrien chuckled. "Why, you sly rabbit! Alright, so now we have something that this messed-up Gabriel wants. Think we could use it against him somehow?"

Unfortunately, before they could, they were once again interrupted by a very unwelcome trio. "Hold it right there," said Time-Hopper. Darner and Killer Bee flanked her on either side, looking down at the four at the bottom of their crater. "None of this changes the fact that you're under arrest. I ask that you come quietly this time–or were you planning on crashing another zeppelin?"

"I might, if you give me a reason!" Bunnyx shot up at her. She, along with all the others, readied her weapon to continue the fight. But just as all seven combatants were about to charge, a sound filled the air. A dark, echoing sound, one that just radiated twisted amusement and malice. The sound of laughter. It chilled each and every one of them to the bone, not least of all because it seemed to come from all around them.

"All the silly little Miraculous holders, caught up in their silly games!" cooed the voice. It was raspy and harsh, like that of a rotting corpse come to life. "All this time, still squabbling away on your petty matters! How entertaining."

They all looked around for its source. "Show yourself!" ordered Time-Hopper, trying to maintain control over the situation.

But it soon became apparent that she no longer had control. None of them did. "'Show myself?' Oh, but I have been here all along. Waiting in the folds of time, watching from behind stars and between atoms, for the time to be right. It is still early…but you wish for me to show myself? I suppose it would be rude of me to keep my audience waiting!"

The voice now seemed to be coming from down a nearby alleyway, which is where everyone turned their attention. It was slow, barely noticeable at first, but something then began to emerge from the darkness. 'Something' rather than 'someone,' as it did not immediately register to them as human.

It had the outward appearance of a person: its most distinct features were its long black coat, and a large tophat of the same color. Beyond that, it walked with a clumsy, jerky gait, as though simply walking was painful. Worse still, it was hard to focus on, as though one's brain was only half-aware it was even a solid object, as it seemed to blink in and out of being as it approached.

More details appeared to Gabriel as this shape got closer. Small details, which would normally be irrelevant, but painted a picture of just who this entity was. His coattails rose up like the tails on certain butterflies. A pair of feathers rose up from the brim of his hat, resembling simultaneously moth antennae and cat ears. All that could be seen of his face from beneath this hat was his mouth. Not only was his skin chalky white, appearing cracked in places, but he wore a toothy grin from ear to ear.

"And here I am!" declared the entity, spreading his arms wide. "Am I not everything you hoped for? Are you not simply shuddering with excitement to be in my presence?"

They were indeed shuddering, but for a very different reason. "You…you're…" said Bunnyx, taking a few steps back.

"Indeed I am!" The being took off his hat as he bowed to the group. "None other than Death's Head, at your service! It has been a while, hasn't it, White Rabbit?"

As he raised his head to look up at the group, there was no longer any doubt in Gabriel's mind who this was. For his face, though withered with age and unnatural power, was his own.