x i

Mlle. Needle blinked at the newcomer that joined Chat Noir’s side.

Chat Noir gaped like a fish as she walked towards him. The blue eyes, the enhanced blue of her hair, the spots.

“What’s wrong kitty? Cat got your tongue?” She cooed.

Chat swallowed thickly. “My lady? What? H-How did you… When did you get your miraculous back?”

Ladybug shushed him and noticed the once white fabric tied around his upper arm. “Chat, you’re hurt! Did she do this?” She held Chat’s arm, before looking up at the akuma. “We need to get this akuma, quickly.”

Chat was going to respond, but his ring beeped, reminding him of his ever eminent detransformation.

“But first, we need to find somewhere for you to detransform. Go, I’ll distract the akuma.” She ushered him to go and he nodded, using his baton to extend himself out.

Since the bakery was close, he headed there and dashed inside. Sabine was inside the bakery and Chat’s transformation quickly dropped.

Plagg fell into Adrien’s hands and with the movement done to catch him, made Adrien realize the increased pain of his arm.

“Oh goodness, are you okay dear?” Sabine rushed to Adrien, looking at his still wrapped up arm.

“I got cut.” He looked down at Plagg. “I’m sorry, I pushed you to your limits, Plagg.”

Plagg shook his head, going up to Sabine. “Marinette, where is she?”

Sabine blinked in confusion. “She’s upstairs with Tom.”

“Has she left the room or anything?”

Sabine shook her head. “Had she left, I would have known.”

Plagg turned to Adrien. “That’s not Ladybug.”

“If it’s not Ladybug, then who is it?” Adrien asked.

“I don’t know.”

The mystery of this Ladybug was worrying, to say the least, but the akuma was quite a worry as well.

After thoughtfully eating a wheel of camembert, Plagg and Chat Noir were ready to go.

Sabine hovered over Chat Noir’s injury, but she let him go nonetheless. “Come back quickly, so I can address that wound when you’re done.

Chat nodded before heading out.

Once he arrived back at the park, he noticed that the akuma was still fighting with Ladybug.

A Ladybug who has the same shade of hair color, the same sparkling, blue eyes, the sweet demeanor that was everything his Ladybug was.

But it wasn’t.

His Ladybug was in the Dupain-Cheng bakery, upstairs in the apartment. This Ladybug was an imposter. However, this imposter seemed to be on his side and he wasn’t going to complain about that.

He will find out about Fake Ladybug later.

“Need a paw, m’lady?” Chat joined in the fray, Ladybug doing a bunch of dodging of scissor snips.

“Just on time, kitty cat.” She gave that million dollar, dazzling smile. “Do you know what her akuma is?”

“Her scarf, I believe. I’ve done what I could to get the akuma, but you see where that’s left us.

Mlle. Needle went on babbling about needing their miraculous, but that was old news. Chat noticed the sharp butterfly outline that kept reappearing around her eyes.

It seemed like Fake Ladybug was causing Papillon a run for his money.

“Lucky Charm!”

Out of the magic provided by Ladybug, there was a sizeable rock that almost crushed her. With a small yelp, Ladybug slipped out of the way.

“Looks like we’re on quite the rocky road.”

Ladybug deadpanned. “What am I supposed to do with a rock?”

“Well, paper, scissors, rock. Rock beats scissors, don’t they?”

Ladybug gasped, snapping her fingers. “That’s a brilliant idea, kitty!” Her eyes scanned the park. If they could just prop up the rock on the see-saw and Chat offer himself up as bait, she could jump on the see-saw and crush the scissors, taking the akuma. “You ready to play?”

“Ready when you are, my lady.” Chat Noir replied.

“Help me prop this rock up while she’s distracted.”

Chat turned to the rock and helped her roll the rock onto the other end of the see-saw.

“I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to use you as bait.” She apologized.

“It’s no problem, bugaboo.” It pained him how naturally that came out. “You’re the brains and I’m the brawn.” He flexed.

Ladybug rolled her eyes. “Oh please, settle down, Chat.”

Getting into position, Chat extended his baton to reach and tap on Mlle. Needle’s shoulder. The silhouette of the butterfly disappeared, Mlle. Needle blinking as her eyes focused on the cat.

“You and your little friend play too much.” She muttered, running towards Chat.

Chat gave a small tut, using a baton as a pole to lean on. “What’s the fun of all fights and no games?”

Mlle. Needle came closer, Ladybug taking the opportunity to jump on the see-saw, making the rock fly into the air and crush the scissors.

With a quick motion, Chat used his baton to remove her scar and tear it in half. The butterfly fluttered out of the material and was quickly captured by Ladybug’s yoyo. “You’ve played too much, you nasty bug.” A white butterfly was released from the yoyo and with a chipped piece of the rock, Ladybug cast her magic.

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

Small glittering ladybugs flitted all around the park, surrounding Chat Noir too. They buzzed all around him, feeling small pressures on him. Were they kissing him?

Once the ladybugs made it to his arm, warmth surrounded his arm and his injury was mended as was his suit. The little ladybugs disappeared and his gaze focused on Ladybug.

“Good job kitty.”

Chat went to putting his fist against Ladybug’s, but when he did, she vanished into smoke. “Ladybug? Ladybug!” He looked around at the sudden disappearance of Ladybug.

“Well, that was awfully rude of her, wasn’t it?”

Chat turned to the new voice, standing up on a light pole. A long, orange-white tail, a long flute and a necklace that glittered in the sunlight. “What? Volpina?”

“What’s up, kitten?” With a graceful hop, Volpina was standing in front of Chat Noir. “Long time no see.”

If Chat Noir wasn’t confused before, he definitely was now. “What… Did you… Were you the one who made Ladybug?”

Her ears perked. “Oh, you mean this?” She blew a tune and a Ladybug materialized beside them.

Ladybug looked around before she spotted Chat and she brightened. “Chat Noir!”