Removing the Mask (Book Two)

Chapter 25

(3rd Person POV)
"Say goodbye to your miraculous, Ladybug," Le Paon says and reaches for Ladybug's earrings.

Ladybug was chained to the wall, along with Rena Rouge and Carapace. Rena Rouge was knocked out and was close to transforming back.

Ladybug trembled with fear as Le Paon's fingers inched closer to her earrings.

"Let go of my lady!" A voice shouts.

Le Paon freezes just in time for Chat Noir to come, whacking her with his staff.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug yells, relieved.

He uses his staff to break the chains around Ladybug's wrists. He frees the two other heroes, placing Rena Rouge safely in a dark corner.

Her eyes opened slowly, "Chat Noir?"

Chat Noir nods, "But stay here, you can't fight right now"

Her necklace starts beeping, signaling her detranformation.

Chat Noir hands a croissant to her, "Feed that to your kwami, but don't get back out there until both you and your kwami are good to go. And stay in this dark corner so the villain doesn't see your identity"

Rena Rouge nods.

"You came just in time, my dude!" Carapace exclaims.

Chat Noir smirks and joins the heroes in a line, facing the enemy.

"Be careful!" Ladybug warns, "She's a tough one!"

Le Paon swings her fan, summoning a compelling gust of wind. The heroes were thrown back and quickly landed back to their feet.

"How are we gonna get near her?" Chat Noir asks.

"We need to create a distraction," Ladybug says quietly.

"What's your plan, m'lady?"

Ladybug thinks for a moment.

"Chat Noir, you're the least visible one out of all of us in this situation. Therefore, you'll be the one to attack. Carapace, you and I will be the distractions"

Carapace nods, "Got it"

"Chat Noir, hide somewhere in the shadows until you see a good opportunity to strike. Ready?"

The boys nod. Ladybug and Carapace run into battle.

Le Paon swings her fan, sending small blades flying towards them. The heroes dodge her attacks with blinding speed as she continues aiming for them.

"Turtles may not be fast, but this turtle is!" Carapace yells.

Le Paon grits her teeth, throwing even more blades at her opponents. There was no way they could dodge all of them successfully.

Carapace jumps in front of Ladybug, using his shield to protect them. He didn't want to use his power just yet.

Ladybug catches a glimpse of Chat Noir in the back, smirking. With his Cataclysm activated, Chat Noir jumps towards Le Paon from behind.

Le Paon caught him at the corner of her eye and turned around, sending him flying with a gust of wind as a couple blades cut across his side, causing a scream to escape his lips. Chat Noir was thrown to a wall, where chains came out of nowhere and surrounded his body, holding him there with his Cataclysm still activated. He tried to escape, but it was no use.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug screamed.

By the time the storm was over, Carapace's shield was covered in little blades.

Le Paon lets out an evil laugh, "Now just gotta wait a couple minutes, and Chat Noir's miraculous will be mine!"

Ladybug clenched her yo-yo angrily. This was the toughest opponent she's faced.

Meanwhile, Alya sat weakly in the corner as Trixx refused to eat. Alya's body was covered in small cuts and bruises. She had been injured while trying to save Carapace.

"Trixx, hurry and eat! We need to get back out there!" Alya says.

The kwami shakes her head, "You heard Chat Noir, you're in no shape for fighting! It's pointless going out there!"

Alya grits her teeth and clenches her fists. She felt useless just sitting there doing nothing while her friends were fighting this powerful villain.

Chat Noir's ring started beeping, making Le Paon smile evily.

Ladybug and Carapace quickly run between her and Chat Noir. Carapace summons his protection barrier as Adrien takes Chat Noir's place. Ladybug stands directly in front of him, hiding him from view.

"I'm sorry, Ladybug. I've failed you," Adrien says, clutching his side.

"Chat Noir, are you alright?" Ladybug asks, worried.

"I think so," Adrien grunts while holding his bleeding side.

Plagg takes a piece of cheese from inside his holder's jacket and swallows it in one go. Plagg uses his power to destroy the chains around Adrien, causing Adrien to sink to the floor with Ladybug kneeling in front of him.

"You shouldn't fight," Ladybug says.

"But Ladybug-"

Ladybug shushes him, "I'll protect you, don't worry"

"Ladybug!" Carapace shouts, "I think my power might run out soon!"

Ladybug clenches her fist. She didn't know what to do. She knew using her Lucky Charm wasn't the best idea right now, as all the other heroes have already used their powers.

Just then, a flash of yellow and black flies through the air, kicking Le Paon on the side of her head and knocking her sideways as her fan flies out of her hand. Queen Bee quickly dodges the fan, which had blades at the end.

"Queen Bee!" Carapace exclaims.

"I came just in time, didn't I?" She says, smirking.

Carapace's bracelet starts beeping.

"Carapace, get to safety and recharge! I'll handle her for now!" Queen Bee shouts, "Same goes to Ladybug! Take Chat Noir somewhere safe!"

Ladybug and Carapace nod as Queen Bee continues fist-to-fist combat with Le Paon. Carapace cancels his barrier and runs to Alya's corner just in time for him to detransform.

Trixx hands Wayzz the croissant, "You should eat it instead, I don't want Alya to keep fighting"

"Just half of this will do," Wayzz breaks the croissant in half and starts eating.

Alya notices that Adrien is bleeding and quickly takes her jacket off, wrapping it around his waist to stop the blood flow.

"Ladybug," Plagg says, "This opponent is way too strong!"

Ladybug looks at Adrien's ring. She takes his hand, gripping his ring between her fingers.

"May I?" She asks.

Adrien trusted her, so he nodded and let her slip the ring off his finger. She slipped it onto her own finger.

"Ladybug! What are you doing?!" Plagg yells.

"Something that's never been done before," Ladybug says, "Plagg, claws out!"