'I do not want to find out'
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They were in class when it happened. Miss Bustier had just began to teach about the French Revolution when an Akuma Alert sounded out. The vermillion-haired teacher had ushered the students into a back room of the school, not noticing five teenagers sneak off. Adrien was with both Alya and Marinette, looking for a place to transform, Chloe had gone somewhere else for the exact same reason and Nino had gone off in search of his girlfriend.
Alya and Adrien had transformed into their hero personas first while Marinette was rummaging through her purse, looking for the macaron she had made not too long ago.
After two full nights of moonlight, the potion was ready. Physically, it hadn't changed much other than the odd sparkly fleck that would appear at certain angles but magically, it had changed exponentially. The bluenette nearly choked at the amount of power that it emitted, it was ready to use.
"Tikki! Can't you just feel the power radiating from this?" Marinette gushed to the red kwami who appeared not long after the bluenette had gone back down to her room.
Once close enough the kwami gasped, circling the vial while making a noise of pure admiration. "Wow... this is... it's so powerful! You did amazing Marinette!"
Marinette giggled at Tikki's speechlessness before quickly thanking the kwami and going down to the bakery. She needed to make something with the potion and she wanted to try a new macaron recipe. Why not kill two birds with one stone? (Don't tell Robin)
Pulling the tray out of the oven, there were a few silver macarons baked perfectly on the flat piece of metal. She waited for them to cool before handling them, putting them into a separate box for her to use later.
"Now when Hawkmoth attacks, we'll be ready. Right Tikki?"
"We will Marinette!"
She scrambled to get the box out of her purse. Once it was securely in her hand, she opened the paper packaging, taking one of the delicate silver macarons inside. The radiation of power had not faded, in fact, it almost seemed to have gotten stronger.
When she gave it to Tikki, the kwami did glow while spinning but Tikki didn't have a new name. In fact, her appearance had barely changed. The only thing different was the silver specks that appeared on her head and trailed down her tiny arms. Marinette then transformed, her suit was more or less the same except for the silver accents. The ribbons in her hair had also changed, it faded to a metallic silver colour and there were specks of metallic cloud sprinkled in her hair, her mask was also adorned with these additions. What really changed, though, was the amount of power the suit gave her. She could feel it pulsing through her veins, the adrenaline rush was exhilarating. She felt lighter on her feet, as if she could jump as high as she wish. Her yo-yo had a redesign as well, an iridescent crescent moon was visible on one side and the string had a black holographic effect if under the correct lighting.
"Damn Girl! You look fierce!" Rena Rouge complimented the spotted heroine, Chieneux nodded to the fox's statement.
"So are you Moon Bug now or Lady Luna?" Chieneux suggested.
The heroine was thoughtful for a moment. "I'll go as Lady Luna but I really don't mind. Come on, we've got a battle to win"
~~~
The akuma was called 'Imprétique' and like it's name, it was erratic and unpredictable, making it increasingly difficult for the heroes to find the akumatized object. Though many attempts were made to get close enough to get a good look, the Akuma's moves were unforeseeable and they moved with great speed. Having no other option, Lady Luna called on her Lucky Charm.
"What the?" Her words voiced out her confusion, she had gotten a polka-dotted USB. Nothing in view seemed useful in any way.
"Something wrong Bug?" Honey Bee asked after attempting to attack the akuma.
"I can't think of anything" Imprétique was causing more damage by the minute, there was only so much the other heroes could do to distract the akuma.
Keeping the item in her hand, she prepared for the akuma to attack her, which was a good option as Imprétique aimed for the spotted heroine next. It swinged it's arm, aiming for her head. Raising her left arm, Lady Luna blocked the attack while using her left hand and firmly grabbing the Akuma's arm, kneeing it in the chest before side-kicking it in the direction of the other heroes. But the akuma wasn't quite finish yet, it had grabbed the yo-yo string. Imprétique pulled on the yo-yo's string in an attempt to get Lady Luna at it's mercy but instead she allowed herself to get pulled, leaping into the air and moving in a circle, forcing the akuma to turn around to avoid breaking it's arm. But that left it at the super heroine's mercy, letting her successfully slam both her feet into it's stomach, sending it flying back to where Ryuko was waiting.
Gracefully landing, Lady Luna looked around again, hoping to find something, anything, to stop this akuma. Viperion jogged her thoughts. "Does the Lucky Charm relate to anyone?"
She was about to shoot a confused gazed the snake-themed hero before an idea struck her like a bolt of lightning. "I think I know, keep the akuma busy!" The super-heroine used her yo-yo and hissed through the air, not stopping until she reached a certain roof top. Knocking, a familiar bespectacled boy opened the window.
"Ladybug?"
"Hello Max, thanks for letting me in, and it's Lady Luna right now" The heroine snapped the yo-yo around her hip, the crescent design shimmering ever so slightly. "I was hoping you could help me with something" Opening her yo-yo with seemingly infinite space, she pulled out the Lucky Charm. "Do you have any idea what I could use it for?"
Max took the USB, eyeing it while adjusting his glasses. "Marcov? Could you open whatever files are in this USB?"
"Sure thing Max!" When Marcov flew over, Lady Luna saw the spots of inspiration. The flying robot plugged the USB in his port and began to run through whatever he saw. "It appears to be code for a miniature tracking device"
Lady Luna's eyes lit up. "Do you think you could make one using this code?"
Max took the USB and plugged it into his own computer. "Affirmative Ladyb- Luna, I have what I need in my cabinet and with this code it will decrease the amount of time needed to make it by a over 350%"
"Perfect"
The spotted heroine watched over the bespectacled boy's shoulder, hands folded behind her back as there was no need for them. She watched as Max delicately but efficiently worked at the small device, picking up the pace once hearing her earrings beeping. Soon enough he had finished. It was small and in the shape of a circle, Lady Luna opened her yo-yo and sure enough, the tracker was working. She thanked both Marcov and Max before making her way out of his house. She landed in a nearby alley to recharge and retransform, soon enough she made it back to the fight.
"Found out what to do?" Rena asked once she noticed Lady Luna's return.
"Yep" Surveying the area, the spotted hero decided to call her Lucky Charm for the second time. "Luna Lucky Charm!" This time, she received a polka-dotted screwdriver. A plan hatched in her mind as she looked at her surroundings.
"Rena, Chieneux, there's a net over in that direction-" she pointed to a nearby shop "-I need you to set an open trap between those two lamp posts. Nuit Noir, use this screwdriver to open and mess up the wiring in that traffic light. Then once you do that, Ryuko will distract the akuma and lead it into your direction. Once that happens, you kick the traffic light into the akuma, that way it'll short circuit and explode, sending the akuma straight into the net. Honey Bee will then paralyze the akuma. Viperion-"
The snake-themed hero, however, was one step ahead of Lady Luna. "Second Chance!" Viperion then hopped onto a roof on a nearby building, in the path the Ryuko would use to lead the akuma straight into the trap. Lady Luna passed the screwdriver to Noir, the plan was in motion.
"Hey Imprétique!" Ryuko called out to the akuma and began to lead it towards Nuit Noir's path. The black cat-themed hero used the screwdriver to pierce the metal in the traffic light, forcing the panel open. Briefly glancing over the internal wiring, he used the handle disrupt the circuit and to fracture the motherboard. Hastily coming down the pole, Nuit Noir used his Cataclysm to break the binding on the traffic light's pillar, in position to kick it down.
Ryuko came running through and just before the akuma was right where Nuit Noir wanted them, Viperion whisked in and swept the dragon-themed hero off her feet and brought her to where he was originally situated. Both Imprétique and Nuit Noir stopped in confusion but Nuit Noir quickly snapped himself right back into reality, there wasn't any time to waste on mystification.
Gathering his strength, the black-cat hero kicked the traffic light, aiming at the akuma. The akuma had no clue what was happening until it was too late. They turned their head in the direction of the sound only to be hit by the flying pole. It wasn't just the sheer force of the blow but the explosion the traffic light created, once it made contact, had enough force to send the akuma recoiling in the direction of the two heroes waiting to take action.
Upon noticing Ryuko, both Chieneux and Rena held the net, readying themselves for impact. Sure enough, the Akuma came traveling through the air towards them with great speed. Bracing for the impact, the two heroes held onto the net tighter, proving to be the right decision as when Imprétique landed in the net, it's weight almost sent Chieneux and Rena crashing into one another. With an exchange of glances and a nod of the head, the two miraculous users switched positions and taking their end of the rope with them, knotting it around their new respective lamp posts, trapping the akuma inside the net. Despite being captured, Imprétique began to erratically move, trying to get out of the ropes that blinded them. However, Honey Bee put a stop to that before the akuma could make any progress.
"Venom!" Honey bee hit Imprétique with her spinning top, successfully immobilizing it. Now that the akuma was paralyzed, Lady Luna approached it, looking for the akumatized object and her eyes landed on a hair pin. Gingerly, she reached for it and threw it on the ground, allowing it to break and release the purple akuma infused within. As the butterfly fluttered, the world seemed to move in slow motion. Surrounding the akuma was an aura she had never noticed before, it formed the shape of...
'Hawkmoth' her thoughts supplied. Reaching for the yo-yo wrapped around her waist, she took no notice of the silvery sparks that emerged as her fingers drew closer. She opened her yo-yo and uttered the words that were all too familiar to her.
"No more evil-doing for you little akuma"
Spinning her yo-yo, she launched it at the akuma, more specifically, the visual representation of Hawkmoth. Though the aura of the supervillain didn't move, the Akuma did and it moved right to where, Lady Luna envisioned, Hawkmoth's heart was. "Time to de-evilise!"
As her yo-yo snapped around the butterfly, great sparks emitted from the action. The spotted-heroine took pride in the fact that these silver embers were able to affect the butterfly-villain despite him not being in contact with them whatsoever. She saw the sparks flood violently through the aura of his body, she also saw how he dropped to his knees in pain because of said action. Her yo-yo recoiled. "Gotcha!"
Instead of letting it go straight away, when Lady Luna opened her yo-yo, she let the now pure-white butterfly rest of her finger. Taking something else from her yo-yo, the spotted heroine placed the tracker that Max had made earlier onto it's wing. "Bye-bye little butterfly" Noir passed her the screwdriver and she briefly thanked him before throwing it into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" The bright ladybugs surrounded the city, fixing any damages caused.
The seven heroes then made their way towards one another. "Pound it!"
Viperion and Honey Bee went over to the now de-akumatized victim and looked as if they were about to escort them home. "I must get going, have a good day Lady Luna, Nuit Noir, Rena Rouge, Chieneux," Ryuko bounded off in the opposite direction. Wordlessly, the remaining four heroes travelled towards a nearby alley to de-transform. Once doing so, the four now-citizens fed their kwamis, Adrien broke the silence.
"Mari that new outfit was so cool!" It almost seemed like there were stars in his eyes as he stared at the bluenette with admiration, Marinette flushed as Adrien's words were supported by Alya vigorously nodding.
Damian wrapped an arm around her waist. "I honestly couldn't believe that Ladybug could look any better than she already is but I stand corrected"
A flush creeped across the bluenette's cheeks as her ears turned red. "Guys, stop it..." she whined, pouting as Damian began to chuckle. Her eyes begged for someone to change the subject and Alya took pity in her best friend.
"Despite the fact that I'm French," The reporter began, gaining their attention. "I have never been French kissed before"
Marinette blinked, the expression on her face was of pure thoughtfulness, clueless to the actual topic of the new conversation. "Actually, I haven't either"
"I can change that" The green-eyed boy smirked. Damian's words were enough to send both Adrien and Alya into fits of laughter, Marinette's red cheeks could rival with her Ladybug suit. The bluenette started mumbling incoherently while Adrien was the first to recover from from his cachinnation.
"Going a little of topic, what was the thing that you put on the akuma?" The blonde voiced out the questions that lingered in everyone's, but Marinette's, mind.
"Oh that was a tracker so now we'll have time to get the general location of Hawkmoth's lair. I managed to injure Hawkmoth in some way so you won't be appearing for a certain period of time. We should use it to our advantage, get everything ready, if you will" Marinette replied.
"Well then, I better get to work on my blog" Alya looked at the time on her phone and sighed. "After school unfortunately"
"Yeah we better get going"
Marinette nodded and turned to kiss Damian's cheek. "See you later Dami" The three students and the green-eyed boy went in opposite directions to their respective buildings.
Once arriving to Collège Françoise Dupont, they were greeted by many other students gushing about the seven heroes and Ladybug's new look. Marinette, Adrien and Alya made their way to where Nino and Chloe were conversing.
"There you three are!" Chloe exclaimed once she took notice of their arrival. "Took you long enough"
Marinette giggled while Adrien chuckled nervously. "Sorry Chlo"
The blonde huffed. "Since you three finally decided to show up, you might as well join the conversation"
"We were talking about the heroes and Ladybug" Nino informed, playfully rolling his eyes at his blonde friend. Alya was quick to voice her opinion on the fight that she participated in, but she didn't tell them that of course.
Adrien and Marinette watched in amusement as their friends were quick to both agree and disagree on certain subjects. All too soon, the bell rang, indicating the start of the second to last lesson. Most of the students were excited for the school day to come closer to an end, but not Marinette. After all, Damian would be leaving at the end of the week. And she didn't want him to go, not yet.
A/N
After many long years, I have finally updated! Sorry it's just exams are right around the corner and I'm revising for them. But yeah I managed to get this one out. Also, if Viperion hadn't used his Second Change, Ryuko probably would've gotten hit with the traffic light or tripped on a rock in the way and the akuma would've gotten her, one of the two. Anyway it's getting late, I gotta go now. See you next chapter!