Miraculous Ladybug: The New Holders

Steel Peacock: Part Twenty-Three

"Ah, my Lieutenant. You've arrived." Hawkmoth turned to see Steel Peacock in the Akuma antechamber, as he called it.

Steel Peacock placed a fist on her metal breastplate. "Apologies for my lateness, my pathetic Kwami apparently needed to replenish her energy." Steel Peacock spoke scornfully when mentioning her excuse.

"Ruthless as ever." Hawkmoth smirked. "You are forgiven."

"So today's the day?" Steel Peacock asked.

"Yes. Today is the day you'll prove yourself." Hawkmoth confirmed.

Steel Peacock turned to the huge window. "Have you found one yet?"

"Not yet. But it'll be soon." Hawkmoth said. "There's always negative emotions."

Hawkmoth had a power for sensing strong emotions. He could sense happy ones, but he chose to take advantage of the negative emotions.

"Oh, I sense it." Hawkmoth grinned evilly. "Bitterness, pain, hurt, resentment, regrets... This is one I cannot pass up."

Steel Peacock looked at Hawkmoth interestedly. "Jackpot." She smirked.

Hawkmoth held out his hand and tainted a white butterfly, turning it into a purple Akuma. The Akuma fluttered out of the large window.

"Follow the Akuma, Steel Peacock." Hawkmoth ordered. "If you need to contact me, push the blue crystal on your miraculous."

"Understood, Hawkmoth." Steel Peacock pushed herself off the ground and flew out of the opening in the window, following the Akuma.

It was a woman this time. The woman spent her marital life living in fear of her husband. He was abusive, but he was only that way after they'd been married. He used to be so kind and thoughtful, but now he was a monster. She was always terrified of the idea of him hitting their son, and she stayed with him for her son. This day had been worse than his worst days, with them fighting even before their son left for school. And after he left, the fight only got worse, with his abusive side showing more prominently. After her husband threw a punch that broke her nose and blood dripped out of her nostrils, she just ran.

The Akuma and Steel Peacock found the woman in an alleyway, crying. The Akuma entered the wedding ring of the woman. She looked up, her raw heartbrokenness gone and replaced with bitter rage, and a purple outline of a butterfly appeared on her face.

Steel Peacock could hear Hawkmoth's influencing voice speaking to the woman.

Assaultress, I am Hawkmoth. Those who you love have always hurt you, and you've always been powerless to defend yourself from them. I can give you the power to hurt those who have hurt you, and make everyone who criticized you feel the same pain you do. But I require something in exchange.

Steep Peacock felt a flutter of sympathy inside of herself, hearing the story of Assaultress. While Chloè had never laid a hand on her, her ignorant and hurtful words were damaging enough.

"Anything you need, Hawkmoth." The woman stood up and looked at her fists with a sadistic grin. She was consumed by dark energy, and she became her Akumatized alter-ego, Assaultress. Her skin became a bright scarlet color, and her clothes morphed into a black and blue suit that covered her whole body with a sash tied around the waistline. A long jet-black whip appeared in her hands, and her long brown hair changed into a dark green messy hairstyle.

"Come with me, Assaultress, and we'll go get revenge on those who have caused you pain and grief!" Steel Peacock held out her hand towards the newly Akumatized girl with a cunning grin.