And we're back! Who's ready for some action?! I am!

Disclaimer: I do not own DGM nor Miraculous. If I did…they wouldn't be as good as they are.

Chapter 9: Rose Brigadier

"But you just got home." A grown woman's voice broke through the air.

The female looked to be in her late 20's to early 30's. Her hair was a long, light brown that was tied in a low ponytail. Her eyes shone like chocolate opals that bore into the man she stared at. Her outfit was simple. An off the shoulder gray sweater with a black tank top underneath. Along with the sweater she had denim jeans on that tightened around her ankles. On her feet rested fluffy white cat slippers. Hanging off her petite neck was an apron. Its design was that of the French Flag. On the face of the apron stood a picture of the Eiffel Tower that broke the colors up.

"I know but I'm needed once again. It seems that something has come up." a masculine voice responded

The man she gazed upon had ginger hair and piercing amber eyes. Eyes that were framed by dark gray glasses. He seemed to be saddened by something. He wore a bright red shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Around his neck was a chain with two dog tags on them. The man wore camo trousers that were held up by a black belt. His feet were protected by sparkling white socks that slid around on the room's hardwood floor.

"H-How long will you be gone?" the woman asked.

"At least two weeks-" he was cut off by a younger voice.

"But you said that you would be here for my birthday!"

The adults turned towards the child, who was standing on the stairs. The girl looked like a spitting image of the male. Her hair was short enough to brush against her shoulders. Her eyes that same amber glow. She wore a long-sleeved pink shirt. The sleeves were a bright pink that matched the color of the rose that was printed onto the shirt. She wore denim pants with a pair of pink socks.

The girl's eyes were glassy and wet. Ready to produce thick tears. The man gave her a sad and regrettable gaze. "I'm sorry, Esther. I didn't think I'd be called back so soon."

"You're a liar, papa!" she accused.

Her father said nothing, while her mother stepped forward. "Now, sweetie. Don't be like that. It's not your father's fault."

The girl gave them both a watery glare. "Yes it is!" without another word, the girl sprinted by up the stair leaving two sadden adults in her wake.

Esther pushed the white door to her room open, running in before collapsing onto her bed. Soaking the edge with tears. A harsh emotion rose up in her. Anger. Anger at the man who she was convinced had lied to her. She had been looking forward to this next birthday. It would be the day that she finally turned 15 years old. And the one person she wished to have there with her was now not going to make it. It made her bitter with anger and her eyes burn with tears.

Sniffling, she pulled herself up and spotted a beret that laid on her nightstand. It was black with a white rim. The white was decorated with small yellow leaves and a star that sat in the middle. She gave a watery smile. Esther walked towards the stand and grasped the hat. Holding it close to her chest. Fond memories filled her thoughts as her tears fell on her most precious object.

Unbeknownst to her, there was a flapping of wings that drew near. It was too late when she finally noticed. It landed on her precious hat. Her head snapped up as a butterfly outline hovered over her eyes.

"How cruel." He heard a deep voice chime in his head. "Being lied to by one person you could trust."

She nodded her head. The reminder sparked intense feelings of betrayal.

"But I would never betray you like that. I can give you the power to get what you truly wish for."

Could he?

"I can. I just need something in return."

An image of spotted earrings and a black ring appeared in the girl's mind. Suddenly the deal didn't seem that bad to her. A ring and earrings? It shouldn't be that difficult to find. But they were still achingly familiar? Was it something from TV?

"Do we have a deal?"

Her expression hardened and she nodded her head. "Sir, yes Sir!"

"Good. I expect great things from you, Rose Brigadier."

Beep!

Beep!

BEEP-

Adrien slammed his hand on his alarm clock, successfully stopping it. He sat up in his unnecessarily large bed and stretched his arms out. Running the day's schedule through his head. He let out a groan when he realized that he had three photo shoots to do that day. Flopping back onto the bed, he heard another voice pipe up.

"Hey! Watch it, kid! I don't want to fly across the room from you flopping around." it was the comforting sound of his companion.

"Sorry, Plagg." he apologized.

"Shouldn't you be getting up. I imagine that Robot lady will be here to check up on you."

Adrien waved him off and curled into himself on his side. He did not want to get up just yet. He was exhausted. The memory of the video he saw and his dream still plagued him. He was forced to come home yesterday because he fell asleep at school. Too bad the photoshoots that were scheduled for today still had to go on. It was too late to reschedule them, according to Nathalie. The model was about to let himself drift back into sleep until he heard a knock on his door.

"Adrien. Your father has requested that you come to the dinner table." that was a new one.

At that, the blonde scrambled off his bed, tangling the sheets as he went. "O-Okay! I'll be out soon!" the boy falls the bed, taking the blanket with him.

"Guess it seems like the geezer wants to have breakfast with you," Plagg announced nonchalantly.

"For the first time in like…forever!" The giddy boy sprang up and rushed to his closet. He eagerly dug through his clothes.

"Don't waste your time trying to dress to impress him." Plagg hovered close to him.

The boy did not heed the creature's words. He pulled out the best yet casual apparel. Adrien dressed in a back button up shirt with different shades of green pinstripes along with a white tie that had a black star on it. He remembered it from a line his father did the beginning of his first year at public school. It was a rather dark line now that he thought about it. Dark colors and lots of stars. What was it called again? The rest of his outfit was a cosmic latte beige vest a white G was embroidered into it over the area of his heart. He wore a set of dress pants that shared a likeness to his vest. On feet, he wore black boots.

Gazing at himself in the mirror, he rolled his sleeve up to his elbows before smiling proudly. He turned to Plagg and gestured to the pocket that rested on his vest. The cat rolled his eyes before diving in. Adrien took a deep breath before finally walking out of his room. He walked down the cold and empty halls before coming upon the stairs. As he descended he heard his fathers voice and another unfamiliar voice talking together.

Confused, Adrien crept down the stairs and to the dining room door. Placing his hand on the black and white surface, he hesitated before entering. Something stirred in his gut. Screaming for him to turn and flee back to his room. He even felt Plagg tense up in his pocket. Unconsciously, his thumb ran over his silver ring. Swallowing the lump that formed in his throat, he swung the door open. Dreading what he might see.

Standing at the end of the table was his father, Nathalie, and another male. The other had light skin and a mole on his face, like his friend Alya. However, unlike Alya, his was under his eye. His hair was surprisingly long and pulled back into a curly up-do. He wore a gray vest over a white dress shirt that had the collar popped up. He wore a black tie and black dress pants. Along with some shiny dress shoes.

The man turned his way and Adrien froze. His eyes were a haunting amber color. They were filled with malicious intent. The man gave him a friendly smile that paired with his evil eyes did not seem so friendly. His gut twisted and he felt the hairs on his neck rise up. His heart pounded in his chest loudly in his ears. His fingers felt like ice yet his palms started to sweat.

"Adrien." his father addressed him. "This is Monsieur Tyki Mikk. He will be working at the Manor alongside Nathalie and your bodyguard. A…friend recommended him to me."

So he is another personal staff member…

The man, Tyki, offered his hand to him. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance young Agreste."

Adrien stared at the hand he offered, years of homeschooling told him that it was polite to shake it, but what if he felt too scared to? Hesitantly, he rose his right hand, where is ring sat on his ring finger, and grasped Tyki's hand. At that moment, an odd feeling shocked through him like electricity. His breathing picked up and his body began to tremble. The desire to run was evident. He could hear Plagg's hissing. The moment made him feel weak and small. Like an animal in the presence of another far greater than them.

"Boy, are you cold?" the question made him lock eyes with the man. "You're shaking like you are."

At the realization, he quickly pulled his hand back and covered it with his other. "Y-Yeah! This house gets cold f-from time to time!" he could not stop his trembling.

The man rose his eyebrow before turning to his father. "Gabriel, do you normally let it get so cold in here?"

His father straightened up considerably like a soldier being addressed by his commanding officer, which the boy found odd. "Not normally, but I'll question the staff about it."

If he's personal staff, why does he address father using his first name? Usually, employees don't use their employer's first name out of respect. It was a pattern he saw all the staff do. It was always Monsieur Agreste to them.

"HISS!" the sound silenced everyone.

Adrien panicked, knowing all too well where the sound had originated from. Quickly, he slapped the pocket that held his companion. Praying that he would get the message and knock it off!

"What was that?" his father asked and gazed in his direction.

"I-It sounded like it came from the kitchen to me!" He gestured to the door that hid their kitchen. "They must be making hot water or something! Heh…heh."

"Maybe."

"A-Anyway, I'd better get my bag ready!" he backed towards the door.

"But you haven't had breakfast yet," Nathalie spoke up.

"I'll have it later!" he squeaked, feeling mildly embarrassed.

Adrien quickly turned around and held himself back from completely sprinting out of the room. So with dignified steps, he glided towards the door and gently pushed it open and closed it from behind. Once out of their sights, he took two normal steps before breaking out in a full-on sprint back up to his room. He didn't understand exactly why, but his instincts were screaming for him to leave. To get out of there. He's never felt this way before about anything. This unexplainable, unnatural, and unconscious fear. While his emotions were spiraling downward, Plagg's hissing grew louder. It wasn't until he made it to his room that the cat zipped out of his shirt, eyes wide and feral. The boy rubbed his ring as he stared at his friend, confused.

"Plagg?"

The mini god turned towards him and then glanced at the ring. His cat ears drooped and he closed his eyes. Seemingly trying to stable himself. After a minute or two he finally breathed.

"Sorry Kid, I don't know what came over me."

Adrien offered him a smile. "It's okay. To be honest, I don't know what came over me either. I've never felt so…terrified before. Except for that time Ladybug got swallowed by a T-Rex. But that made me afraid and angry. Right now, I just feel…afraid."

Plagg sighed. "Yeah…all I wanted to do was…make you transform and attack that man."

The boy looked at him in question. "Why?"

"I don't know!" he cried out and floated down to the desk right next to the ring. "Just something about him makes me boil in anger. I'm sorry." the kwami apologized.

"Don't apologize! It's fine. If being around Monsieur Tyki Mikk makes you feel that way, we should keep away from him." Adrien offered. The offer was not only for his friend's sanity but for his own as well. Something about him terrified the young Agreste to no end.

"Yeah."

When Adrien arrived at the set, he found Vincent's rival-not-rival with her model from last time. This time the girl was dressed in a red full midi skirt along with red shoes with big bows, that had matching tones with the skirt. A sleeveless white shirt was tucked in the large skirt but it's bedazzled collar shone in the direct light. Over her shoulders was a black leather moto jacket. The jacket rested perfectly like a dove on a branch. In her black-gloved hands was a red bag. Her glasses framed her earth eyes. In front of her, taking pictures, was Silvia. The exocentric photographer/agent for Moonlight Velvet. A strong rival brand to his fathers.

He glanced to his side and saw Vincent growling at the scene. The photographer stomped over and interrupted the session. Adrien looked over at Nathalie, who sighed at the whole exchange. Then his bodyguard, who showed no emotion as usual. Then lastly to the new member, Monsieur Mikk. The man had a vicious smirk on his face and his eyes were trained on the model. The model seemed to not have noticed his stare quite yet.

"Maybe we could share the set and flip spots periodically." the girl suggested to the arguing adults.

"Share!?" the two synced, their voices in matching disbelief.

He saw Nathalie step forward. Most-likely ready to agree with the model in favor of keeping on schedule. But Tyki beat her to it. "The young lady has a great idea. It would work and it would keep us on schedule. We don't want to anger Monsieur Agreste by being late again now do we?"

Oh…so NOW it's Monsieur Agreste?

The model locked eyes with the man and she froze. Her eyes widened before narrowing in suspicion. He could detect a hint of recognition partnered with confusion in her eyes. Does she know Tyki? He saw her turn her head to the side. It was a small subtle move, but he saw it. She was staring at something. His eyes followed and he saw something white…what—?

"Fine!" the two yelled. Man…they could almost be twins or something with the amount of synchronization they have.

The two divided the park. One side for MV and the other for Gabriel. They decided on a time to switch sides when needed. The plan seemed organized and worked well. Now all he needed to do was get through the shoots and he should be on his merry way. He desperately wanted to go back home and curl under the blankets. Or anywhere away from Tyki Mikk. The man gave him the chills and made Plagg borderline feral.

Here we go…

Time could not go any slower for Adrien, who was currently posing on the fountain in the park.

Dressed in a blue dress shirt with a beige V Neck sweater over it. To top it off, he was suited in a grey car coat. To match, he had baby blue, casual dress pants and beige leather dress shoes that resembled Italian leather dress shoes. The model impatiently kept tapping his expensive shoes to the ground. The tapping annoyed the photographer causing him to receive a scolding from Vincent and a shake of the head from Nathalie. The only good thing about the shoot was that he was allowed to wear his favorite scarf since it matched with the color scheme. Unknowingly to him, Nathalie had been tense about the cloth. Her eyes dashing from the scarf to him the majority of the time.

Click

Flash

It was taking forever. Granted it wasn't helping because he kept distracting himself. Maybe I should try harder, so this shoot ends faster? He tried making his smile bigger, puffing his chest out more, following the photographer's instructions to a T, etc. He even tried keeping his foot still, which didn't work.

Unluckily for him, Tyki had decided to sit in on his photo shoot. Having his eyes follow his every move was unnerving. It made him tense and shaky. Another fact that irritated the photographer. But it's not like he could help it. Anytime he turned his back to him, he could feel his eyes pierce the back of his skull. Even when the man seemingly disappeared, Adrien could feel eyes on him. Making him stiff with tension, another thing his photographer glared at him for.

Seeing the strange new staff member made him think about his kwami. The magical creature that gave him the power to be the hero he is. He remembered how he reacted to Tyki. It was like a cat reacting to a dog that entered their home. The kwami was currently snugged his jacket. Sleeping soundlessly. When he was in this state, Adrien admitted that the mini god was adorable. It made him wonder what Ladybug's kwami looked like. Probably like a ladybug.

He let his thoughts wander to the famous Ladybug. Allowing a genuine smile to grace his features and his heart to skip. Just thinking about the spotted heroine did that to him. Now ignoring the flashes of the camera, he let himself daydream his usual fantasy. Either it is them revealing to each other or a wedding ceremony. As beautiful as his fantasies could be they were flawed. A reveal situation, in his mind, was mostly him revealing himself and her reaction. And a wedding fantasy was just him gazing upon a heavily veiled bride. None the less, they still brought a goofy smile to his face.

"Hey! What are you doing!? Back away! I cannot have anyone ruin the shot!" he heard the photographer cry out.

Adrien snapped out of his dream world and focused on reality. He saw his bodyguard stand in the protective stance. Nathalie was hesitantly backing away. The photographer was glaring at some individual. Sensing that something was out of order, he rose to his feet and slide to the side to see exactly what was going on.

Standing there was a girl with shoulder-length orange hair. Her face was pointed downward making him unable from seeing her face. She sported a green beret. On her feet were black combat boots with the ends of green cameo cargo pants stuffed into them. The girl also had a buttoned-up shirt that shared her pants likeness. On her sleeve was a sewn-in badge of the France flag but with a twist. It had a menacing black star in it. At her waist was a black holster that held a small gun. A pistol. Adrien recognized this girl. It was the girl he saw every day. She hung out alongside his childhood friend, Chloé.

"Sabrina?"

The girl snapped her head up and Adrien grew pale at what he saw. There were some features on her face that he recognized as normal. Her sea green eyes and glasses with a clouded pale brown and gray rim were the same. However, her eyes were dull and had lost their shine…their life. Around her eyes, was black makeup. It circled her individual eye sockets before running down her face. Like eye makeup that started to run from crying. On her forehead sat a delicate, solid red pentagram.

"I HATE YOU ADRIEN AGRESTE!" The dream came back full force. He saw the stars crawling on an injured Marinette. The metal monster with its mask-like face. A black skeleton with a name written on its forehead in beautiful cursive. A clown. It all rushed to the forefront of his mind and he felt his throat constrict. His eyes flickered to his surroundings and he found the women from before staring wide-eyed at Sabrina. A whisper on her lips.

"Akuma." She spoke harshly.

Sabrina suddenly roared out the sound echoed in the area and his ears. In pain, he slapped his hands over his ears and unconsciously squeezed his eyes shut at the sound. The sound rippled through the ground and he could feel it under his feet. What made it worse were the other screams that pierced the air. He opened one eye—his ears ringing—to look around. Anyone else who was sitting in the park was cornered or running away from soldiers. Soldiers that looked like Sabrina. Pentagrams on all of them.

Even the women were captured. She was held hostage by a large, burly man. A gun was pressed her side while her eyes moved wildly around the scene. For a moment the two locked eyes before she turned away. She was looking for something or someone.

All this chaos brought him to one conclusion. Another villain is on the loose. He glared at the girl in front of them. Her gun now drawn. Adrien could not count that she wouldn't shoot any one of them. He tried to make a plan in his head, but suddenly the girl shifted her aim to him. At that, his bodyguard stepped into action. The giant charged at Sabrina, ready to take her down. Perfect! However, his campaign was ended prematurely. Out of the blue two soldiers jumped on the bodyguard.

The three wrestled until a few more reinforcements showed up. Successfully pinning the bodyguard to the ground. His eyes focused on the showdown and he failed to notice Sabrina coming his way. When it was too late, he was grabbed by the arm with the pistol aimed into his side. Now isn't this great. He looked around and saw that other soldiers had Nathalie, the photographer, and other pedestrians.

I need to contact Ladybug. Hopefully, she isn't a soldier or a captive.

Suddenly, they were moving. He and others were being escorted out of the park. The mass flow of people migrated towards the Eiffel tower. Adrien scanned his surroundings and he saw Nino and unsurprisingly Alya held captive as well. Seeing his friends, reminded him of his other friend, Marinette. The sweet girl that stammered nervously around him. She was nowhere in sight. Where could she be?! Could she be a—Involuntarily, he gasped. Ahead of him, he saw the back of a girl's head. She had the same blue hair as Marinette. Her hair was tied in the same fashion. She walked stiff and with…a captive. Despair gripped his heart.

Her captive was a male that towered over her. His hair was brown and short yet spiky. He wore, from what he could tell to be, a white T-shirt and denim pants. Adrien's eyes stayed locked on them. He had never seen Marinette become a minion before, despite her claims. But to see it now—

Suddenly the man jerked from her grip and turned around, barreling through the line of soldiers and prisoners. Marinette turned around and took aim. Or at least who he thought was Marinette. Instead, he saw a girl with fair skin and dull gray eyes. She had large, round glasses on her face. And a mole on the lower right of her lips. A shot rang out and the man fell. If he had any doubt the lethal effects of those guns, he was convinced now. Thankfully the man was not dead. His leg was bleeding out, a sign that he was shot there. Not-Marinette strutted towards him and brutally stepped on the injured leg. The man cried out in pain before flopped to the ground, Adrien could see tears form in the poor lad's eyes.

Not-Marinette grabbed him by the back of his shirt and dragged him off. Leaving a trail of blood behind her. The crowd parted for them. All eyes on the man and girl. The scene made him more worried about his friend. What if she fought back and ended up a worse fate than that fellow. Or worse, become the one to end someone else's life? Suddenly an image of a what a minion Marinette looked like and a possible dead one flashed in his mind. He shook his head to rid him of such thoughts, but they still lingered.

Again, he was pulled forward and was moving again. This time, he saw his friend Nino by his side. Adrien glanced at him, hoping to make contact. The boy turned his way and his expression brightened before turning grim. The blonde took it as a bad sign. He wanted to talk to him but was afraid he would get shot for it.

When they arrived at their destination, the captives were pushed forward and the soldiers stood in a line behind them all. Blocking anyone from escaping. The civilians quickly went towards their loved ones, while Adrien stuck by Nino. Now seeing the opportunity, he started questioning his friend.

"Where's Marinette?" The smart thing would be to question him about the Akumatized villain first and maybe get a plan, but Adrien was far more concerned with the whereabouts of one of his first friends.

"I don't know. Last I saw her, I was picking up Alya from the bakery. Marinette told us that she would be going to the Eiffel tower for some inspiration." He explained.

Then she has to be here! He scanned the crowd. In the mass of people, he spotted her parents. They were also searching the crowd for the girl. His gut twisted and he searched the line of soldiers for her. She was nowhere to be found.

"Damnit." He had to transform, but how was he suppose to when he was stuck in this crowd?

Bang!

The sound made everyone's eyes snapped up towards the beloved monument. Standing there with a smirk was the Villain. She stood out like a sore thumb. Her outfit was strictly military that, unlike every minion there, was a crimson red. She had a red military jacket with golden trims that covered her hips. Underneath he could see a sliver of a white undershirt and red tie. A belt seated at her waist just over the jacket. Her legs were wrapped in white pants and red boots. On her shoulders was a long red trench coat. The lining was laced in white fur. The coat was open and hung sole on her shoulders. Even the gentle breeze didn't blow it away. Instead, it made the coat fan out like a hero's cape.

On her head was a white beret with a thick black lining, decorated with golden markings and a bright red star. On her hands were white gloves. They had a shine in the light, making him conclude that they had to be some type of hard and shiny fabric. Leather maybe? In her hands was a small expendable baton. Not like his, but one that officers used to take down threats without killing them. Her eyes were painted over in light red in a peculiar way. It was a star, five-pointed one, that rested over her right eye with one point that extended outward and over the other one.

"Well! It seems that we're all here!" her grin was the definition of sadistic. "Oh wait…the heroes haven't shown up yet have they!?"

The people cowered before her save for a few old timers, some adults, and himself. He knew how this would play out. She would threaten the lives of the civilians for the miraculous. However, he was worried that he may work this time. Since this akuma could actually have people killed.

Hawkmoth's signature sign hovered over her face. She has the whole city under Agreste. He briefly smiled at the pun. Classic. "I'll give them to the count of 3. If they're not here…well…I'll leave that up to your imaginations."

The people looked at each other in fear. "One!"

Everyone looked around and some even called them out. I need to find a way out now. The way the guards were lined up made it hard to slip out of the crowd.

She raised her baton out towards the crowd. Everything was still for a moment. Suddenly, she swung her arm in an Arc and large cannon-like guns or bazookas appeared beside and above her. The civilians stumbled back, fearful of what she would do to them. The woman jerked the baton towards a nearby building and the weapons shot.

Cries rang out in shock, followed by an explosion, and more screams. Oh no. Adrien whipped his head towards the debris. It was aflame and there were screams resonated from inside. His eyes widened in horror. Another explosion hit his ears and he turned towards the other source and found an apartment crumbling and combusting. More screaming. The people around him cried and cowered. This is madness! Hawkmoth has gone too far! The need to transform became stronger than ever.

"Two!"

Over the screams and cries, Adrien heard the sick maniacal laughter and his eyes narrowed in anger. The girl laughed and raised her baton up once more. Ready to attack once again. Another sound cut through the air. The sound of wire. Ladybug! A red yo-yo flew out and wrapped around the villain's arm before she was pulled. Adrien deflected his attention to the heroine.

"That is Enough!" her tone was harsh and cold.

"Ladybug! What a pleasant surprise! And here I thought you weren't coming."

His lady said nothing. The villain's smirk turned into a scowl at her lack of response.

"Where's that furball of yours? Vet appointment?"

Ladybug scowled and tugged on her yo-yo. She plucked the girl right off the tower and let her slam into the concrete. Civilians backed away from the fallen villain. The girl glared at the hero before bringing her baton up once again. This time the soldiers came forward and aimed their weapons at the bug.

"Squash her like the insect she is!" at that they opened fire.

Lady Luck ran across the Eiffel tower, jumping to a new level just to get away from the bullets. With the villain and the soldiers distracted, some civilians turned tail and ran. Everyone else followed their lead. Using this to his advantage, Adrien let himself get swept away with the crowd. A sense of urgency running through him. He heard the shouts of Nino calling for him and he silently apologized. The secret hero ducked into a back alley and crouched behind a garbage can with bags of garbage sitting around him. The smell reeked but it would have to do.

He pulled his coat open and called for his kwami. "Plagg!"

The cat zipped out and hovered in his face. His expression was serious and surprisingly he did not complain. "Just say the words kid."

"Transform me!"

When Ladybug traveled up the tower's side, she could see the civilians run to safety. That put her at ease for a bit, however, it did not stop the feeling that she had been too late. So many people's lives were probably lost because she had been late. That heavily weighted on her shoulders. The girl scrambled to another beam as shots kept firing. She had never dealt with gun-wielding villains or minions alike. Hell, she fought a man who had weapons made out of food. She could remember the cheese bombs. Those were tame compared to this. Hawkmoth's getting desperate. It would be the only explanation for his new approach.

Bullets ricocheted near her causing her to move upward. Luckily for her, she found a landing that would help shield her temporarily. Scrambling along its surface, she finally let herself breath. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Her adrenalin was firing everything in her body. She was practically buzzing with energy. The bullets bouncing echoed before they all stopped. Wary, she readied her weapon.

There was silence. Silence was bad in these kinds of battles. It meant that something was wrong. Something was not right. The temptation to look over the edge reared its ugly head. Hesitantly, the bug edged closer to the edge in front of her. Okay, if I see her face right below me. I quit. The girl crept closer and closer, failing to check behind her. When she got to the edge, she took a large breath and looked over.

Nothing.

She let out a sigh of relief. No jump scares today. She straightened herself and prepared to turn when she felt herself being pushed over. A shriek tore from her throat at the sudden fall, but she steeled herself. Twisting her body to face her attacker, she saw the villain. Almost effortlessly, she threw her yo-yo and the toy wrapped tightly around a beam. Using gravity and her momentum, she swung herself in an arc back up to the top. Landing back on the tower.

"Don't think you can get rid of me that easily," she smirked.

A growl rose from the villain. "Just hand your miraculous over!"

Ladybug huffed, "Come and get it."

The villain roared in frustration before extending her short baton and running at her. Forced to engage in close combat, Ladybug did her best to block and dodge her blows. The Akuma brought her baton up and flew it down at her. Quickly, Ladybug crossed her arms to shield her face. The force made her slide back.

This is not good…Chat where are you?

"Just surrender!" with another arc she prepared another attack. This time it was aimed at Ladybug.

With impeccable timing, she sprung away from her spot once more. This time the explosion cut through the tower, making the structure grow shaky and tumble. It seemed the running caused more harm. With each dodge, something was destroyed in her place. By the time this battle is over, half of Paris will be obliterated!

"Stop moving, you pest!" another blast filled her ears. Debris bounced off her suit as she landed on the solid ground. From the corner of her eye, she saw a swift flash of black and she internally cheered. Finally, her alley cat was here. She followed the dark color with her eyes and found her partner fending off a group of the villain's soldiers. She was about to aid him when she noticed something odd.

The villain…shouldn't she have attacked by now. In her brief time, "fighting" the girl, she noticed that she did not hesitate or wait for a chance to strike. Some akumas delayed their attacks with too much monologue. But now she was silent. Ladybug turned her head to where the villain was and she was shocked. Something was happening to her!

The girl was now hovering in the air and the air around her was sparking with purple lightning. Her red uniform was started to darken. A sinister grin stretched her face. Her skin was being dyed a lavender hue with some veins spreading from the edge of her painted eyes. Without warning, her body bubbled over in black clouds. What in the world!? When they fell away, the girl looked different.

The beret stayed the same as before. Hinting to her that it may be the object that held the butterfly. She sported a red open Trench coat that was connected above a black cropped top, clipped with a red rose on it. The coat had white linings and golden leaf embroidery with a popped, white collar. Its sleeves were black with a large triangular band at the wrists. The bands, on the sleeves, had a golden leaf embroidery lining as well. Her pants were replaced with a red skirt with black belt and golden buckle. Her legs were wrapped in knee-high, thin, black socks. White high heel boots, that had a red sole and collar, shielded her feet. Both were laced with more golden embroidery. Her gloves were dyed black and now gripped a wicked whip. The whip was a long curly black tail that had a golden, triangular metal tip. It looked sharp enough to pierce the skin.

"D-Did she just level up!?" Ladybug unknowingly voiced her thoughts.

Yet the difference between this level and the last was the girl's eyes. When she had seen them they were an amber color now they were a dark black that looked like it swirled. The darkness of it reminded her of a black hole. Just sucking the life out of a lone star. The painted star on her face was now centered. So instead of being over her right eye, it now was in the middle of her forehead. The downward points now extended down over her eyes as if she was crying. Just like her minions. Another feature was that her skin was now lavender. The veins from before were still present as well.

The villain looked at her hands and flexed her fingers. "What in the—How-?" a butterfly symbol appeared over her face. "Oh? So that's why…" a grin spread across her face. "I wonder what happens if I make some more chaos!" with a giggle she started to dart away.

A theory started to work its way into Ladybug's head. It's evidence coming from the girl's sentence. She feared that if it was indeed right, then this akuma was far more dangerous than any they've encountered. Ladybug wasted no time. She jumped on the nearest building and threw her yo-yo towards her partner. The minions had been momentarily distracted by their boss's transformation, so their guards were down. Allowing her the perfect opportunity to snatch the cat up.

"Thanks fur the purrfect save, My Lady."

"No time for jokes, cat. I think the akuma evolved."

"Evolved….like leveled up?"

She nodded, "Yes, and it may have something to do with the destruction she caused."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go. We need to keep her from making more destruction if your theory is correct." his tone was now serious. Something she didn't see since the Jackady Akuma. He glared after the akuma and made a move to chase after her. His expression made her cheeks heat up a bit. She shook her head and gave him a hum of agreement.

"Y-y-yeah! Let's go!" she cursed her stutter before swinging after the villain. Chat ran and leaped right behind her in sync with her fluid movements.

Unknown to her, a white presence was running in the same direction as she was.

When they finally caught up, the girl was making quick work of the city and its people around her. Sounds of cannon fire filled the air along with shrill screams. It truly was a battlefield. The heroine flicked her yo-yo and it wrapped around the girl's midsection. A tug was all that was needed for her to be swept into the nearest concrete street. From there, Chat Noir jumped into battle the girl in close combat. He successfully deflected the girl's pointed whip various times before he slipped up.

The girl had wrapped her weapon around his baton before flinging him into a building. Creating a creator on its side. Ladybug, in a panic, called out to her fallen friend. "Chat!"

The boy soothed her fears only slightly when he groaned and moved. More worried about her partner, she made the mistake of taking her eyes off her foe. A whip crack sounded in the air followed by a loud boom of a cannon. The spotted hero turned her head to the sound and saw the projectiles coming dangerously close. It was too late to jump away now. Time slowed as she heard her partner scream and her eyes shut close.

Suddenly, warmth surrounded her. It made her feel light and protected. It reminded her of those times in her childhood that her parents tucked her in at night. Or cuddled in a blanket on a cold winter night. Their hands kept warm with a hot cup of hot chocolate. It gave her that safe feeling. Is this was dying feels like? A fabric of some kind brushed against her cheek. Pulling her back to reality.

Her bluebells snapped open and she found herself surrounded in white. The warm that held her belonged to that of a being that, in her state, looked like an angel. That is…until he turned his head.

"Are you alright, Miss?" his red tattoo violently cut down his face and she held her breath. It was him. The boy from the recordings. The angelic super that she had put a half-ass effort to find due to fear of her identity being discovered. He was here.

She was set down on the roof and found herself helpless to watch as he turned away from her. His cape flying around him. Looking as white as a cloud. Hovering beside his head was Timcanpy, who, once he saw her, flew by her side. Had the "kwami" went to find his user? Wait…Tim can't be his kwami. Kwamis disappear into the miraculous when transformed, but he is still here. What is he? Questions aside, she focused her attention on the battle and the Akuma's reaction to Allen showing up. To her surprise, the villain had her eyes wide with a violent blush overtaking her lavender skin. The blush, instead of a furious red, was a dark purple color. She also stood oddly still like a statue. The same butterfly symbol flickered on over her eyes, most likely Hawkmoth pushing the girl to attack the super.

As if she was released from a spell, she blinked her eyes rapidly before trying to force a serious expression. With a shaky hand, she pointed at him and opened her mouth to speak. What came out reminded Marinette of herself.

"I-It's in interest you-! I mean….it's my interest that you take your shirt off! NO! I mean it! interest! To! Your! Give! Agh! NO!" she slapped a hand over her face. "I'm interested in you—Woo is it hot out here or is it just me!?" the girl laughed loudly and nervously.

Silence rose in the air at the girl's stammer and stutter. Ladybug stared with wide eyes while Chat and Allen looked so confused. The symbol switched on the Akuma's face once again and this time Ladybug swore that her purple blush was turning a red violet. Ladybug tilted her head, I know I sound bad when I speak to Adrien but damn...is this how bad it really is? If she was asking that question to her best friend the answer would be a swift, with no hesitation, Yes.

She took a deep breath before slowly speaking. "It's in your best interest to…get out of the way! I must defeat Ladybug and Chat Noir! I can…deal—deal…DEAL with you later!" after that, she slapped her hand over her chest and heaved out a sigh.

Allen shook his head, "I don't think so. It ends here, Akuma." He reached out and grabbed his arm. Which, now that she was paying attention to it, looked like something from a horror film. Large ink claws that looked like it could cut through a solid brick. What in the world? Suddenly green light emitted from his arm, the brightness made her want to look away, but in the light, she saw something being pulled. Was he summoning something? If so, then what? Her question was answered when a large broadsword was presented to his side. It was the same as she saw during the first fight.

But where did it come from?

Her eyes switched back to his arm, the one he had been gripping, and found a loose sleeve in its place. Her eyes widened at the realization. It added another piece to the puzzle. His large weapon came from his abnormal arm. How was that possible? What sorcery was this? Who were these people?!

He twirled the sword, effortlessly and whispered something underneath his breath. Because of her close proximity, Lady luck heard a few fragments of his sentence. "-ing….salvation….torm-….Ak…soul."

Without a word, he sprung forward. Ready to attack. Based on the last brawl, she had a good idea what he was planning to do. With a huge sword like his, there was only one thing to do with it. Impale something or someone. Not wanting this victim to experience the same fate, she turned her eyes to Chat. The cat had detached himself from the wall and seemed to be in shocked just as she was.

"Chat Noir!" her yell brought him out of his thoughts and they made eye contact.

He gave her a swift nod before bounding towards Allen. While he was doing that, she pulled her yo-yo from her waist and decided to make use of it. With a flick of her wrist, she threw it at the caped superhero. It wrapped around his wrist and tugged him back. He successfully stopped and pulled on the string. His eyes—silver eyes trailed towards the end, where he saw her smirking face. Unfortunately for him, he didn't see it for long, since he was tackled down by Chat.

A startled cry was forced out of him as he and Chat struggled against one another. "What are you doing?!" she heard him yell.

"Pardon meow, but we would prefur that you stay out of this!" Chat grunted as he used his baton to keep the teen at bay.

"Pardon meow?" there was confusion in his tone.

"Yeah…you know…like, Pardon me?" Chat's was replied with silence. "Like a pun? A play on words?"

Ladybug forced herself not to laugh and focused on the akuma. The girl was shocked and glaring daggers at her and Chat. However, the daggers she was shooting towards the cat were dipped in a fine poison called jealousy. The situation was becoming laughable, but it wouldn't be right to laugh at this moment. She had things to do.

"Alright! It's time to end your reign of terror!"

"As if you can stop me! Do you forget that I'm much stronger than you now?!" her smirk was wicked.

"You know what they say…the bigger they are the harder they fall!"

"Are you calling me—?!"

"LUCKY CHARM!"

Her yo-yo was flung into the air and started to spin rapidly. Emitting red light at each turn. The light grew until it finally flicked off and an object was revealed in its place. What fell in her waiting hands was a small plush like object. The plush had stark white hair and a white cape. Oh god is this-? She turned it over in her hand and her internal question was answered.

On the face of the doll was the teen's large tattoo. This time it was formed from red dots rather than a cruel line. His clothes were black and red just like the original, but it looked like a reverse order of her suit as well…a uniform with buttons that were spotted in the correct order. The golden chain that she spotted on his outfit before was still strung along in cheap beads. And lastly, it had his little masquerade mask. Which instead of holding his cape together, now sat on his eyes.

Her bluebell eyes flickered up as she scanned her surroundings. Unlike a lot of other lucky charms, she already had a fair idea what she could potentially do with this one. If her hunch was correct then…Aha! Bingo!

"I have something that you'll want far more than our miraculous."

"You have nothing other than the miraculous that I want!"

She presented the plush to the villain with a smirk. "Oh yeah? How about a one of a kind plush doll of that guy." the girl's eyes turned starry and full of hearts. "Of course, who would want something like this?" she wrapped the doll in her yo-yo string and gave it a cruel twirl.

The girl squawked and flung her whip towards her yo-yo. Ladybug twisted her wrist, making the doll turn faster causing a button to fly off. It hit the metal tip and ricocheted to hit a metal chimney that was adjacent to her position. As if the world slowed, Ladybug released the doll into the air, redirecting the villain's focus. She dropped down and slid underneath her while the button flew back. It hit the beret and set it flying off her head. But in her busy state, she did not notice the change. The heroine's yo-yo was curled around the girl's legs.

When she popped back up, she called for her alley cat's attention. "Chat!" his green eyes turned to the flying hat and without question, he leaped away from the super and cried out.

"Cataclysm!" his powered up hand connected to the hat causing the material to deteriorate.

While that was going on, Ladybug swiftly tugged on her weapon and made the girl fall. Her hands had not been able to grab the plush and she was set falling face first onto the roof. She pulled her yo-yo free and swung it at the now freed butterfly. The capture was swift and the purification was successful. When it was all said and done, she strutted over to the plush and picked it up. Her work was not finished yet.

She threw it in the air with a shout. "Miraculous Ladybug." and the ladybugs that exploded from the object flew all over the city. With a smile, she turned her head to Allen. Whom was staring with awe. Her chest swelled with pride once more.

"Huh? Where-? Wait…oh no…did I?" her head turned back to the victim and as if in routine, she comforted the girl.

"Hey, it's okay now." the girl turned her head and Ladybug felt a lump grow in her throat. Her eyes were amber once again but were dull and dim. The veins that branched from her eyes were still present. This development was worrisome. She hid her worry and gave the girl a bright smile.

The girl smiled back for a moment before she let loose a string of coughs. She hoped that the victim had been sick before her akumatization. The heroine patted her back until the girl slumped against her. Her check connected with the redhead's forehead and she had to push the girl back by her shoulder because of the burn it gave her.

"Chat, I'm gonna need you to call an ambulance. I would take her to the hospital myself or have you do it, but we—" she looked at Allen who was confused and shocked. "—have business to discuss."

And that's the end! I hope you all enjoyed that chapter. I wonder what's wrong with Esther? Who knows? I do, but that's beside the point. Anyway! I'll be back next time!

Ciao-su~!