Amira looked at the two miraculous boxes in her possession, sighing as she looked at the drawing board in her room. Thanks to Tikki, she didn't have to deal with a tearful departure with her temporary team, something she didn't think she would've been able to handle.
After all, she had adored Carapace's and Gris' company.
For now, she was to return them to Master Fu soon, along with discussing a few things regarding her suspect.
"Checking over the data and evidence, Amira?" Tikki asked, munching on some cookies Amira had baked earlier today.
Yes, she made them at five in the morning, but could you blame the girl? She was excited to see her friends again. Not only that, but Wally was going to stay with her for the week! So of course, Amira decided to bake some things for them, wrapping them into tiny bags to give to them later.
"While it may seem like I have all the evidence I need, I still need more. Without those final pieces, I can't seal the case shut."
"But didn't you get the evidence you needed from your father's-"
"It's still not enough." Amira said, looking at her suspect's picture. "All the evidence points to him, but at the same time it doesn't.
I have his bank statements from just a little over a year, a few things sticking out to me.
An incubator, some gardening tools, a large order of milkweed along with other varieties of flowers and an order from a slightly sketchy butterfly farm. Back in Gotham, whenever someone wouldn't want others to catch whiff of their plans, they would go through the hassle of having proxies and the sort. But he didn't bother to do that. Probably didn't think anyone would see it odd as his profession calls for him to do the bizarre...at least to some extent."
"So this suspect's career allowed him to get away with being...bizarre?"
"A bit of a front, if you will. What makes him even more suspicious is the data I got after adding trackers to the akumas I would purify."
"What did you get from it?"
"All the butterflies collect into a single area." Amira circles a particular house on her map, glaring at it. "After all, all loyal creatures go back to the person or thing that cares for them with the utmost kindness. A bit ironic in this case, if you ask me."
"But this is enough evidence Amira! With all this, you can successfully say-"
"That's where you're wrong Tikki. I still need photographic evidence. But very soon Tikki. Very soon, we'll capture Hawkmoth." Amira looked at Gabriel Agreste's photo taped to her board.
She just needs a few more things and she'll finally be able to take him down. She'll be victorious.
-----
"Baguette!" Adrien chirped, throwing himself onto Marinette, Chloe rolling her eyes.
"Adrikins. We've only been away for four days."
"Four long days at that!" Adrien defended, breaking away from Marinette. "Next time we go to another gala, we're taking you with us."
Chloe didn't miss the way Marinette stiffened, her face going a shade lighter than usual.
"Right...next time." Marinette trailed, prying Adrien from her. "So, how was the oh-so-famed Wayne Gala? Lived up to its reputation?"
"Hardly." Chloe scoffed, tossing her hair behind her. "Bunch of old people getting together and talking about setting up their kids to marry one another."
"Really now?" Marinette said. "Please, do tell me more."
-----
Amira was glad to hear that the gala was a success, although she already knew that thanks to Dick.
With the gala talk occupying the majority of the group's time, the school day had managed to go quicker than usual, not that Amira minded it.
Aside from hearing Chloe's complaints about the gala, Amira also got to introduce Nino to them during lunch, Nino and Adrien quickly bonding over their love for Jagged Stone. Of course, their little gathering finished quickly once Alya caught wind of the reason why Chloe and Adrien were absent.
To avoid Alya from gathering any details, the trio decided to keep talking after school...or rather after fencing club through text.
Making sure that her knickers were in place, Amira proceeded to put on her plastron and jacket, carrying her headgear in hand. She was glad to have an actual partner for fencing again. As much as she liked sparring with Mr. D'Argencourt, it was starting to get overbearing whenever he would go on tangents on her becoming his next star pupil.
"Baguette! Have you been practicing despite me being gone?" Adrien asked with a smirk, only to get a scoff in return when the two got to their usual spots in the courtyard.
"Of course I have been. How else will I get better?" Marinette said, placing her headgear on. "Why don't I prove it to you?"
Smiling, Adrien also placed his headgear on.
"En garde. Pret? Allez!" Adrien recited, lunging towards Marinette, only to be dodged and attacked.
"Attaque. Touche. Point!" Mr.D'Argencourt said with a smile. "Wonderful work, Marinette!"
"Shall we continue?" Marinette asked, getting into position. Chuckling, Adrien also got into position.
"En garde. Pret? Allez!"
Marinette quickly lunged towards Adrien, using his retreat to counter it, bringing her sword under his own and landing a hit on him.
"You really weren't kidding. Attack, pare, riposte, counterattack. Just how much have you been practicing?"
"I only learn from the best." Marinette answered back, bending her epee. "Mr. D'Argencourt-"
"Where is D'Argencourt? I wish to join the team as I heard that only le crème de la crème learn under his tutelage." Someone roared, Adrien and Marinette turning to see a fencer in all red standing on top of the scoring machine.
Mr. D'Argencourt walked up to Rouge, examining them from head to toe.
"I am M. D'Argencourt and I will only consider your admission if you can defeat my best student."
"And who is this student?" They asked, getting off the scoring machine.
Adrien and Marinette watched as the sea of club members that were once in front of them now left them exposed. "Which one of you is the best combatant?"
Marinette gladly stepped aside after pushing Adrien forward.
"Baguette! How could you? Top 10-"
"Oh don't be so dramatic. You are Mr D'Argencourt's best student, any way you look at it. So go on and make us proud!"
-----
Marinette watched as the match escalated from using the scoring machine to her having to act as referee.
She followed the duel as they soon left the piste, Marinette so close on scolding the two for leaving the strip they were supposed to stay on (if this were an official match).
But pushing that urge down, Marinette watched with wonder as the duo kept parrying each other, surprised that this person was on par with Adrien.
Marinette was so drawn in by their match that not only did she follow them into the library, but she almost missed the final hit. Thankfully, she didn't.
As the two stepped back from the position that clearly showed both of their epee on one another, Marinette was ready to declare the winner.
Yes it went pretty fast, but the match was still clear enough for her to know who actually won.
Marinette remained silent, letting Adrien and Rouge catch their breaths until Rouge decided to speak first.
"So...who won? Who got the first hit?"
Marinette watched as Adrien took off his headgear, his hair sticking to his face.
At this time, the rest of the club finally caught up, Mr. D'Argencourt demanded to know who won.
"Adrien, Mr. D'Argencourt. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Rouge here won. They landed the hit first." Marinette announced, watching as Rouge take off their headgear, a smile on her face.
"I still remain victorious!" Rouge said, stabbing her epee into the air before letting it rest once by her side again.
Rouge, however, couldn't help but notice Adrien's staring between her and the person who watched their entire match.
Rouge watched as Adrien kept turning his head between the two, an unsettling grin growing as his eyes stopped on M D'Argencourt.
"M. D'Argencourt! You have to let her join the team!" Adrien said with a smile, confusing everyone. "By the way, what's your name?" Adrien asked Rouge.
"Kagami. Kagami Tsurugi."
"Adrien, where are you going with this?"
"Do you really not know what this means, M. D'Argencourt?"
"That adding Mlle Tsurugi to the team will help my reputation?"
"Well that, but you'll have the strongest duo of female fencers under your tutelage!" Adrien said, running up to the referee of the match, taking off their headgear, Kagami feeling her eyes widen. "And they look practically identical."
Kagami agreed. To think she would find someone who looked almost identical to herself...
"Adrien, is what you are saying true? That this person is just as good as I am?" Kagami asked, pointing her epee towards Marinette, causing her to gulp.
"He's clearly exaggerating." Marinette said, using her hand to gently lower the blade point towards her. "Oh, how rude of me. Name's Marinette. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. And I can't possibly be just as good as you if I just started fencing this year. That would be an insult to all experienced fencers out there."
Adrien sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
"But to get high praise from an experienced fencer," Kagami said, getting into position for another match. "Show me Marinette. Show me this skill Adrien has seen worthy of his praise. En guarde!"
-----
Amira flopped onto her beanbag, groaning into it as Tikki zipped out her jacket.
"That girl Kagami...she really is amazing, isn't she?"
After Adrien happily stated that Marinette was on par with him, Kagami started a duel, keeping Marinette on her toes throughout the whole match.
While Amira was able to keep up with Kagami, it was nothing compared to her spars with Adrien.
Kagami relentlessly struck attack after attack, her attacks filled with such force, it felt as if Kagami's epee was of some other material than steel.
Was she really just 13 years old like the rest of them? It felt as if she had more than twice her age of experience...
Abruptly getting up, Amira plopped herself into her computer chair, madly typing in the surname Tsurugi, only to be surprised to see Kagami and two other people's faces appear in the search.
Amira let out a dry laugh, not believing her luck.
"So her whole family is into fencing, what are the odds." Not only was her mother a two-time Olympic champion, her grandfather was a three time Olympic champion before as well. The two reasons why either couldn't continue their streak was due to life-changing events. In Tomoe's case, an incident that caused her to go blind.
"Wow. That's very impressive!"
"Isn't it? But I worry. Can you imagine the amount of pressure she has to carry? The pressure to uphold her family's legacy?"
Amira stared back at Kagami's photo, finally deciding to shut down her computer.
"Amira! It's almost 5! You're going to be late to the airport!"
"Airport? Wally isn't coming via airport. He's coming over via zeta tube." Amira said with a grin, grabbing a coat and her keys before heading off to greet Wally.
-----
Wally gaped as he took in his surroundings, not believing he was in Paris. He didn't snap from his trance until something was shoved into his mouth.
"Flies are going to go in if you don't close your mouth." Amira said, placing a bag of cookies into his hands. He eagerly began to devour them.
How long has it been since he had Amira's homemade cookies?
"Can you blame me?" Wally stuffed another cookie into his mouth. "This is my first time in Paris!"
"Wally. You've literally been to space. Heck, you live there." Amira said, giving him a smile.
"Amira." He gestured at the Eiffel Tower in the distance. "Paris."
"Don't get too comfortable now." Amira said, watching as the two arrived at the bakery. "Things will be bound to get odd."
Oh the urge Wally had to laugh when the ground began to shake, causing Amira to groan.
"Are you sure you're Lady Luck? Because it sure doesn't feel like it. Ow!" Wally exclaimed when Amira punched his shoulder.
"Whatever you do, don't leave the bakery, understood? In case you forgot, Justice League members are banned from stepping foot into Paris."
"Except for me, because you love me too much." Wally said with a smile, not noticing the pink dust on Amira's cheeks.
"Whatever." Amira grumbled, pushing Wally into the bakery before going off to face today's Victim.
-----
Wally watched as Amira returned to her room, watching as she collapsed onto her bed, her Ladybird costume disappearing from her persona, Amira going back into wearing her red turtleneck shirt and black skirt.
"Magic. I would never understand."
"Then don't." Amira said, though it came out muffled. "Do you mind writing something down for me?"
"Sure thing." Wally said, watching as Amira turned over. He eyed the stack of sticky notes and grabbed it along with a pen. "Ready whenever you are."
"Max. Dupont. My classmate who got upset because no one was available to test out his new game. Went by the name Gamer." She said as she climbed down the ladder.
Now that she thought about it, wasn't he the one who won a video game competition around a month ago? Or was it two?
"So what are you going to do with this?" Wally said, handing it to Amira.
She simply gave him a smirk, pulling down a hidden map, Wally taken back by the amount of information and theories on it. All of these tiny details were all connected to the center of the map, the photo of some old guy there.
"Data."
"Wow. You know, you can give your father a run for his money." Wally said, shouting a 'hey' when Amira elbowed him.
"I learned from the best, what can you expect?" Amira said, placing down the note on top of an already large pile of notes. "To think that even with all this evidence, it's still not enough to go after my suspect."
"What do you mean? Isn't this enough? Judging from his schedule, he's the perfect candidate to-"
"But he has alibis each time there's an attack and even though it's always the same alibi, it's one nonetheless. Although it's still not enough to convince me."
"Elaborate."
Wally was handed over a file, the title of it being the Bubbler. Reading through it, Wally noticed that he wasn't affected by the akuma attack in the slightest while his bodyguard and assistant were.
"So you've noticed it."
"How did he not get bubbled? He's an adult!"
"The answer is simple. He avoids being harmed by being in cahoots with the Victim. You can even go as far as saying he's an accomplice."
"Or rather, Hawkmoth."
"Bingo." Amira scowled upon looking at Gabriel's picture. "I just need one last thing to make sure I'm right. Otherwise, the evidence will go against me if I were to present it to him."
Placing his elbow on her shoulder, Wally hummed.
"More evidence, huh? What do you think of breaking into-"
"Wally, no."
"Wally, yes." Wally responded before Amira smacked his shoulder, Wally simply laughing.
Amira soon joined in with a sputtering laugh, causing Wally to smile.
When was the last time the two of them laughed like this? To think moments like these could only happen like this...
Why did Jason have to leave them?
-----
Despite having just arrived from the latest akuma attack, Adrien was buzzing with energy.
He didn't know LB knew how to play video games! And he certainly didn't think Queen Bee wouldn't know. What teen didn't know how to play video games?
They're so much fun!
Actually...When was the last time he had this much fun?
Walking around his room, feeling the energy bouncing within him, Adrien let out a gasp and a grin as he made his way to his bedroom door.
"Adrien, what are you doing?" Plagg asked, floating next to Adrien.
"Well, seeing as Dad's off doing whatever it is he does, I thought I should explore the house for once." Adrien said, peeping into the hall to see Pierre dozing off. Adrien has noticed that his father had been overworking his bodyguard ever since he came back from Gotham.
"Wait, how have you never-" Plagg started, only to stop when Adrien gestured his head towards the sleeping bodyguard.
"Pierre never lets me leave my room whenever Dad leaves, which is why right now is a pretty good time to do so." With that said, Adrien sneaked into his father's office, never realizing how empty it felt despite the clutter of fabrics in the room.
Adrien made his way towards the portrait of his mother, sighing as she looked back at him.
God how he missed her.
"Wow. Despite your father being the only one in this room, there sure is a lot of things here." Plagg said, phasing through the different materials and boxes. "Sadly, there's nothing but designs here."
"Yeah." Adrien huffed, about to leave the place when he accidentally leaned onto the portrait, feeling his shoulder press into something. The frame came forward, startling Adrien.
"Hey! Destroying things is my thing, kit!" Plagg complained, watching as the portrait swung open a bit. "Oooo! A secret stash?" Plagg asked with wonder, watching as Adrien pulled the portrait forward, exposing a safe.
"Of course it would need a code."
"Code? Who needs a code when you got me?" Plagg said with a smug, phasing through the safe and opening it up. "See? Easy as cheese!"
"Don't you mean 'easy as pie?'" Adrien said, looking at the things inside the safe. An old receipt, hotel flyer, a picture of his mother, a peacock inspired brooch and-
"No cheese, but this certainly looks familiar." Plagg said, hovering about the book he was talking about. "It's the book Master Fu has been looking for!" Plagge exclaimed, picking it up. "Oh the look on Sugar Cube's face when she finds out I found it before her!"
"Sugar cube?"
"Tikki, LB's kwami." Plagg shortly explained before going up to Adrien's face. "But we can talk about that later! We need to bring this to Master Fu n-"
The sound of the front door made the two jump, causing Adrien to quickly close the safe and place back the portrait. Eyeing a fabric box, Adrien quickly stuffed the book into it and swung the bag over himself.
Luckily, just in time.
"Adrien, what are you doing in here?" Gabriel asked, his eyes narrowed.
"My bag has a hole in it so I thought of asking you if I could get a new one. I came here, but I forgot you were out, but then I saw this bag and kinda liked how it looked." Adrien showed his father the black leather messenger bag. "So, can I keep it? If you're not using it, that is."
Adrien waited for his father's response, watching as his father still held his stoic face.
'Please say yes, please say yes!'
"You can keep it." Gabriel said, Adrien letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "As for your old one, bring it here so that I can mend it. Then you'll have two bags to alter between."
"Thank you, Father." Adrien said with a bow before rushing out of the room, glad that things worked out fine.
"Now I just hope he doesn't notice it's gone missing."
-----
Nightfall fell upon Paris, Ladybird sitting at the Eiffel Tower as she waited for a few people to meet up with her.
"-sure you don't want me to-"
"I'll be fine. I've been doing this for months." Queen Bee heard Ladybird assure someone upon arriving at their usual rendezvous. She had never heard her call anyone before patrol. "If anyone should be worried, it should be me. I've been told you're still recovering from a stabbing. When were you going to tell me that? And before you say anything, yes, it was Großvater."
A stabbing? Just who was Ladybird talking to? "Oh, seems like someone is already here. I'll talk to you later. Mach's gut." Ladybird put away her phone before turning to Bee. "You could've said something if you were here already."
"Didn't want to bother you. Plus, it seems like you were in the middle of catching up with whoever it was you were talking to." Queen Bee approached Ladybird, looking out to see the same Parisian night she saw in the photo at Wayne Manor.
Pictures that showed a motherless little girl, raised by a billionaire father.
"I...I never met my mother...never go to know her either."
A bit of her wished it was just a mere coincidence. A bit of her wished she was wrong.
"I was, but duty first." Ladybird said with a smile, snapping Chloe from her thoughts. "Of course, we have to wait for Chat before we can go on patrol."
Returning the smile, Queen Bee leaned against a beam. She had to get rid of this theory before it consumed her, before she found something she knew would get her in great trouble.
"Hope he isn't stuck again playing video games, he had seemed to have enjoyed it when we were all stuck in Gamer's video game."
At that, the two girls laughed, the wind carrying their soft laughter until it merged with the city noise.