Marinette paced the floor of her room, the small magical earrings trembling slightly in her hand. Her heart thudded so loudly she could hear it over the quiet hum of the city outside her window.
"This must be some mistake!" she said aloud, throwing her hands into the air in disbelief. "The only superpower I could possibly have is... super-awkwardness." She stopped pacing and glanced at the tiny red creature hovering before her. Tikki's big, trusting eyes stared back at her with unwavering confidence.
"I know!" Marinette suddenly exclaimed, her voice growing more animated. "Alya would know what to do! She's obsessed with superheroes—she lives for this kind of thing! She'd totally be up for the job. You should go find her instead!"
But Tikki floated closer, her voice gentle but firm. "Marinette," she said softly, "you're the chosen one."
Marinette blinked, stunned into silence. Her words failed her. Chosen one? That was something out of a comic book, not her life.
Across the city, Adrien Agreste leaned against the edge of his pristine desk, gazing out the window of his enormous, suffocatingly sterile bedroom. The city was alive beyond the glass, but to him, it might as well have been another world.
"But I'm stuck here," he muttered bitterly. "I'm not even allowed to go to school. What good is a superhero who's imprisoned in his own house?"
Plagg, lazily rolling across the table on top of a toilet paper roll, snorted. "No good. That's why everything's about to change." He rolled off the edge and hovered in front of Adrien's face. "If you're willing to change, that is."
Adrien stared down at the black ring in his palm. Its surface shimmered faintly, like moonlight on still water. Somewhere deep inside him, something stirred.
Back in her room, Marinette turned the earrings over in her palm again and again. Her fingers trembled.
"So… I just have to break the object where the whatchama-call-it is hiding?" she asked, trying to make sense of the blur of instructions.
Tikki hovered patiently. "It's called an akuma, and yes—you must capture and purify it."
"Right. Capture it. And the… charm thing again?"
"Your Lucky Charm," Tikki said, nodding. "It's your special power. You'll know when to use it."
Marinette took a deep breath and let out a soft groan. "This is all going too fast, Tikki. I-I'm just... me. I won't be able to pull this off. I can't even talk to Adrien without tripping over my own feet."
Tikki floated forward, her tiny face brimming with calm reassurance. "Trust yourself, Marinette. Just say the words: 'Spots on.'"
Hesitantly, Marinette raised the earrings to her ears. She closed her eyes.
"…Spots on?"
In an instant, a brilliant red light engulfed her. The transformation was unlike anything she'd ever imagined—spinning, weightless, powerful. Her clothes shifted into a sleek red and black-spotted suit, her pigtails flicked behind her like twin ribbons, and the air itself seemed to hum around her.
When the glow faded, she gasped. "Whoa. What is happening?!"
Marinette had become Ladybug.
Back at the Agreste mansion, Adrien stared down at the ring.
Plagg floated in front of him with an exaggerated bow. "Say, 'Claws out!' That's how you transform."
Adrien smirked. "Got it."
He slipped the ring onto his finger and took a breath. "Plagg—claws out!"
"Wait!" Plagg shouted, a touch of panic in his voice. "I haven't finished explaining—!"
But it was too late. Plagg zipped into the ring in a blur of green light, and in a flash, Adrien's world exploded into movement.
His body moved on instinct, light and agile. A black suit wrapped around him like a shadow. Clawed gloves, a tail-like belt, sharp ears atop his tousled blond hair—he felt fast, strong, free. The weight that had hung over him since his mother's disappearance and his father's suffocating rules felt... lighter.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror and smiled for the first time in what felt like months.
"Too cool."
Marinette stood frozen in the center of her room, breath shallow beneath the snug red-and-black-spotted suit that hugged her frame like it had been stitched to her soul. The weightless buzz of her transformation had faded, leaving only the silence of disbelief echoing in her ears.
She tugged at the collar, groaning in frustration. "Ugh... how does this thing even come off?" she muttered, pacing in circles. "Tikki? If you can hear me, I want my normal clothes back. Now. I'm not going anywhere looking like this!"
Her fingers hovered over the yo-yo clipped at her hip, the strange object feeling alien and far too important to touch casually. The news was still playing in the background—distant white noise—until a name caught her attention like a slap across the face.
"…after breaking through the shuttle tower, the monster known as Stoneheart is now heading toward the Montparnasse Tower," reported Nadja Chamack, her voice cracking slightly under the tension. "So far, the authorities have failed to stop the rampaging figure. He appears unstoppable!"
Marinette's eyes widened. On the screen, amidst screaming civilians and fleeing cars, a familiar blur darted between the chaos—Alya.
"Alya?!" Marinette gasped, her heart sinking. Her best friend was following Stoneheart—camera in hand, chasing danger.
"Marinette?" Her mother's voice floated up the stairs. "Did you make it home okay?"
Marinette scrambled for composure. "Uhh… yeah, Mom! Just… super!" She rushed toward the balcony, nearly tripping over her own feet.
Downstairs, Sabine paused, frowning. "Tom, she doesn't sound like herself. Should we call the school?"
Outside, on the balcony, the cool Parisian wind tangled itself in Ladybug's pigtails as she looked over the city bathed in golden afternoon light and rising plumes of smoke. Her hands trembled as they clutched the yo-yo again, now sensing its strange power. She could feel it humming like a heartbeat in her palm.
"Okay," she whispered to herself, squaring her shoulders. "I have special powers. Apparently. And this… awesome super yo-yo thingy."
She aimed at a gargoyle perched on a nearby building. The yo-yo snapped forward with perfect aim, locking around the stone horn. Before she could overthink it, she gave it a firm tug—WHIP!
She soared through the air, a blur of red and courage, yanked from doubt into motion.
Meanwhile, on the city streets below, a figure in sleek black balanced on a silver staff stretched high above the chaos. Adrien—now transformed—walked along the narrow beam with a catlike grace he hadn't known he possessed. His green eyes gleamed with curiosity and adrenaline.
"I'm starting to get the hang of this," he muttered, just as a blur of red and spots plummeted toward him from the sky.
Thud!
"Whoa—!"
Ladybug crashed into him mid-step. They both yelped as the yo-yo tangled around Cat Noir's staff, snapping taut and suspending them upside down, back to back, spinning slowly in mid-air.
Cat Noir blinked. "Well, hey there," he said with a lopsided grin. "Nice of you to drop in."
Marinette flushed scarlet beneath her mask. "Oh no—I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to—it was an accident!"
Cat Noir chuckled. "I'm guessing you're the partner my kwami mentioned. I'm Cat Noir. Yeah. That works. And you?"
"I'm Ma—uh—Mar… I mean…" Marinette stammered, her tongue in knots. The yo-yo snapped back as she pulled it too hard and bonked him on the forehead.
"Madly Clumsy," she blurted. "I'm… Madly Clumsy."
Cat Noir winced, rubbing his head. "No sweat, Clumsy Girl. I'm still figuring things out myself."
Before Ladybug could say another word, a low rumble vibrated through the city. The pavement trembled beneath them. Both teens froze. A distant building groaned and tilted like a felled tree.
Cat Noir's eyes narrowed. "That's our cue."
He leapt from the staff with feline precision, bounding across a rooftop toward the chaos ahead.
"Hey! Wait—where are you going?!" Ladybug shouted after him.
"To save Paris, right?" he called over his shoulder without breaking stride.
Marinette exhaled, hands tightening around her yo-yo. "Ugh… trust yourself. Trust yourself." She ran forward, leapt onto a ledge, and launched herself after him, swinging through the city like a bolt of red lightning.
And for the first time… she flew.
The late afternoon sun dipped behind the steel skeleton of the Stade des Princes, casting molten light across the track field in long, melting shadows. The day's final P.E. session was wrapping up—students scattered across the lanes and sidelines, chattering, laughing, peeling sweat-drenched shirts from their backs. But behind the bleachers, nestled in shade and shadows, two figures remained—lingering like secrets.
Jinx crouched low, one knee drawn up, the hem of his long black trench coat fanning out across the asphalt like a spill of midnight ink. The silver-buckled coat shimmered faintly despite the heat, as if the sun itself couldn't touch him. His presence carried a chill that bent the air, subtle but distinct. It was something Alix Kubdel—second-oldest friend, chaos enabler, and co-conspirator since age five—appreciated as she dropped beside him, sweat clinging to her brow.
She sighed as the temperature dropped a few degrees near him. "Thank the ice gods for your creepy vampire aura," she muttered, wiping her brow with her wristband.
Jinx didn't answer. His gaze was trained with unsettling focus across the field.
Alix followed it and groaned. "Oh my god, again with this? You're still watching her?"
Out on the track, Juleka Couffaine was stretching in quiet solitude while Rose chattered away next to her, animated hands slicing the air like a one-woman stage show. Juleka, her purple-streaked hair falling like a silken curtain, nodded along in that detached, haunted way she always did. Her presence was like a lingering note in a minor key—low, soft, unforgettable.
"You've got the emo crush, fine," Alix continued. "But this? This is a bit much. You're literally crouched in the shadows behind a sports bleacher. You look like you're about to monologue a tragic backstory."
"I'm not stalking," Jinx replied calmly, eyes never leaving Juleka. "I'm observing."
"You're stalking," Alix deadpanned. "And I say this as someone who once helped you dig a fake grave to mess with Kim. That was funny. This is weird."
Still silent, Jinx reached into the folds of his coat and produced a cookies-and-cream Oreo chocolate bar. From nowhere.
Alix blinked. "Seriously, where do you keep those?"
He tore open the wrapper with a whisper of foil. "Ancient magician's secret," he intoned flatly. "You wouldn't understand."
"I've known you thirteen years. I assume your coat is a pocket dimension by now."
Jinx took a bite, his eyes softening a fraction as he watched Juleka tuck her hair behind her ear. "This is crucial recon. I need to know who she is when no one's watching. What makes her laugh. What makes her sigh. Timing matters."
"You're talking like you're launching a heist, not catching feelings."
"I'm calibrating emotion. Vibe alignment. Atmospheric mood resonance."
"You're Adrien's AI. But make it goth."
Jinx finally turned toward her. His face was calm, but his eyes… his eyes had that quietly spiraling look. "Look, I know it might seem like I'm being 'extra'—and okay, maybe I am—but I've never felt anything like this before. It's quiet, but it pulls at me. I'm not thinking about her all the time, and yet somehow, I always am. It's gravity. Subtle. Relentless."
Alix raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you say that about Zoé Bourgeois last semester?"
"That was different," Jinx said, waving a hand dismissively. "She was a well-dressed dream with resting princess face. This? This is… something else. Something that hits you when you're doing nothing. It lingers."
He hesitated, then added, almost to himself, "It doesn't fit everything my aunt told me love should feel like. But maybe I'm different. This is the closest I've ever felt to it. So I'm holding on to it."
Alix stared at him for a moment, then leaned back on her elbows. "Okay. That's the most poetic thing you've ever said that wasn't coated in sarcasm or emotional trauma. I think I might be impressed."
Jinx gave her a sidelong glance, a tiny curve of a smirk pulling at his lips. "Thanks. I think."
They sat there in silence for a while, Jinx chewing his chocolate bar with unusual tranquility, Alix watching him with an expression somewhere between curiosity and exasperation. On the field, Juleka brushed back her hair again. Rose laughed at something, and for the first time, Juleka smiled—a small, ghostly thing—but it made Jinx freeze.
Alix caught it too. "You know," she said lightly, "if you do confess, I'd better be the first one you tell. I earned it. Thirteen years of your melodrama, I deserve front row seats to this goth soap opera."
Jinx nodded solemnly. "You're my ride-or-die, Kubdel. You'll get every cringe detail, I swear."
"Good. Because the only thing better than you confessing is Rose realizing her soft-spoken soulmate has a secret admirer with anime villain energy and a romantic soul."
Jinx smiled—really smiled—for just a second. Then the moment passed, and he returned to watching Juleka with the intensity of a poet mid-existential crisis.
But Alix's grin faded as she turned her gaze away. Just for a second, her expression crumpled into something wistful. Something almost pained. She looked down and muttered something under her breath—too soft for even Jinx to hear.
He didn't notice. He never did.
And Alix, like always, swallowed it down and smiled again.
Because she was his ride-or-die.
Even if she was riding through someone else's love story.
The ground trembled.
With a deafening crack, a massive figure smashed through a row of streetlights, sending sparks and concrete fragments into the air. Panicked screams echoed as civilians scattered like startled birds, abandoning their ice cream carts, bikes, and backpacks as they fled in all directions.
Stoneheart had arrived.
Towering nearly three stories tall, the rock-skinned colossus lumbered into view, his eyes glowing with pent-up rage and sorrow. With each thunderous step, the pavement beneath his feet cracked like brittle glass.
"KIMMM!!" the giant roared, his voice deep and broken, rattling the windows of nearby buildings. "So, who's the wuss now?!"
Kim, the object of his fury, turned white as chalk and bolted in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, fate—or his shoelaces—had other plans. He stumbled over his own feet and crashed to the ground in a heap, wincing.
Before Stoneheart could take another step, a flash of silver and black landed between them.
"Hey," came a smooth, confident voice, "it's not very nice to pick on people who are smaller than you."
Cat Noir stood tall, staff in hand and green eyes narrowed behind his mask. His stance was casual, almost theatrical, but his voice carried the sharp edge of a warning.
Stoneheart sneered. "I guess you're talking about yourself."
In a hidden chamber far above Paris, a man watched the chaos unfold through a butterfly-shaped window. Hawk Moth's hands tightened around the railing of his balcony, a smile forming beneath his mask.
"Everything's going according to plan," he murmured. "Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculouses have been activated. Here they come to save the day… and now, my supervillain will destroy them."
Back on the battlefield, Cat Noir lunged, striking Stoneheart across the chest with his retractable staff. The blow barely left a mark. Instead, a disturbing pulse radiated from the impact point—and Stoneheart grew larger.
Cat Noir's eyes widened. "Okay… not what I expected."
In the shadows beyond the chaos, hidden atop the edge of a building, a figure leaned forward.
Jinx.
His dark eyes flickered as they caught the glint of the silver ring on Cat Noir's hand. Recognition flashed through him like lightning, and then—
A low growl built in his throat.
"So…" he murmured, voice low and sharp as a blade. "That old man finally realized he's too old to guard them, huh?" His lip curled into a crooked smile. "Looks like I've got new playthings to stave off the boredom..."
His gaze briefly softened.
"Well… when I'm not with Alix or Adrien."
From the inside pocket of his coat, Jinx drew out a brass pocket watch. He flipped it open with a click, revealing the swirling shadows trapped within.
A flash of black mist burst from the watch—and a creature emerged.
No larger than a mango, the Kwami hovered with graceful flutters. Her glossy feathers shimmered like oil in moonlight, and her bright magenta eyes blinked slowly beneath a mask-like face. Her wings, like a crow's, were sleek, folding over her tiny frame like a shroud.
Nocturn.
The Kwami of silence, decay, and shadows.
She yawned, stretching her wings delicately. "Mm… I did quite enjoy that nap. So what—?"
She stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes snapped toward the skyline.
"I feel something," she whispered, her tone suddenly serious. "The power of the Butterfly Miraculous… but it's twisted. Dark. Someone has corrupted her power and turned a human into a monster."
Her wings twitched. "And the Cat and Ladybug Miraculouses… they're near. I assume that's why you woke me before our task tonight?"
Jinx chuckled softly, raising one gloved hand to gently brush her cheek with a fingertip. She leaned into the gesture, eyes fluttering closed.
"Right as always, Nocturn. I'll get you your blackberries later. But first…"
He clicked the watch closed with a snap.
"Bring silence."
Nocturn gave a small nod and spun in place. Her form dissolved into black mist that curled downward, spiraling into the seams of Jinx's coat. Shadows surged outward, swirling around him in wisps of ink-like fog. The surrounding air dropped in temperature, and even the light around him seemed to dim.
His transformation was seamless, fluid.
Gone was Jinx, the misfit in eyeliner and quiet menace.
In his place now stood Marionne.
The black puppet-mask slid over his face, its features emotionless and eternal. Its smile, painted in charcoal-black, never wavered. The eyes—bottomless voids with a single white dot each—lit up with a malevolent gleam. Black tears streaked down its cheeks like dried ink. The trench coat now clung to him like a shroud, ceremonial straps swaying with unnatural rhythm. The silver rings on his fingers shimmered faintly with ethereal power.
He took a step forward.
Then another.
And the haunting echo of his breath filled the silence like the first note of a funeral hymn.
His voice, when it came, was no longer quite human. It was soft. Echoed. Hollow.
"This city's gotten too loud."
And from within his sleeve, the hilt of his scythe emerged.
"Where are you, partner?" Cat Noir shouted, scanning the chaos around the stadium.
From behind the shadows near the entrance tunnel, Ladybug crouched low, her heart thudding against her ribs like a drum of war. Panic curled around her chest like a tightening rope.
"I can't," she whispered to herself, breath trembling. "I'm not going to be able to do it."
But the world had no patience for fear.
With a thunderous crack, Stoneheart hurled a twisted steel goalpost like a javelin across the stadium. The crowd screamed and scattered as it hurtled toward the stands. Alya, camera in hand, froze in place like a deer caught in headlights.
Cat Noir didn't hesitate. With a sharp spin of his staff, he launched forward, grabbing Alya and diving out of the way just as the metal net crashed down where she had stood.
Alya blinked up at him, breathless but alive.
"What are you waiting for, super red bug?" she shouted, voice defiant and hopeful all at once. "The world is watching you!"
Ladybug's heart pounded. Her hands clenched. And then… something shifted. The fear remained, but it was eclipsed by something stronger. Purpose. She stood tall as her heartbeat echoed in her ears.
With a bold stride, she stepped into the golden light of the stadium, face set with determination.
"Animal cruelty?" she shouted, her voice rising over the chaos. "How shameful!"
From the stands, Alya whooped. "YES!"
Cat Noir turned, relief flooding his face as she approached.
"Sorry it took so long, Cat Noir," Ladybug said, her grip tightening on her yo-yo.
"It's cool, Wonderbug," he replied with a smirk. "Now, let's kick his rocky behind!"
"Wait!" she exclaimed, grabbing his tail before he could charge. "Haven't you noticed? He gets bigger and stronger with every attack. We can't just keep hitting him!"
Cat Noir blinked. "Different how?"
"I—uh—I don't know! Yet!"
"Alright, then. Time for powers. Cataclysm!" He held out his ring as black energy pulsed along his fingers. "Apparently, I destroy whatever I touch."
"I don't need a superpower to destroy everything," Ladybug muttered, half to herself.
Before she could stop him, Cat Noir darted to the mangled goalpost and touched it. The black energy spread across the metal like ink in water—and it crumbled to dust.
"No! Don't do that!" Ladybug called out.
But Cat Noir, unbothered, grinned. "Cool. It's just you and me now! Time to rumble, soon-to-be rubble!"
"Cat Noir! Wait—!"
Too late. He sprang at Stoneheart, but as he tried to invoke his Cataclysm again… nothing happened.
"Uh-oh," he muttered, landing a glancing blow on the giant before being punted like a ragdoll across the stadium.
Ladybug winced.
"You only get one shot to use your power!" she called. "Didn't your kwami explain anything to you?!"
Cat Noir coughed from the dirt. "Guess I got a little excited about my new life…"
Ladybug pressed her palm to her forehead. "Okay, okay. It's up to me now. Lucky Charm!"
A red-and-black-spotted object swirled from thin air and landed in her hands—a silver suit jacket.
Cat Noir stared. "Superpower?"
"My kwami said I have to break the object where the akuma's hiding."
"Yeah, but he's made of rock."
"No—his right hand. He never opens it. Like Russian nesting dolls. The object isn't on him—it's inside his fist!"
Before they could act on the realization, the ground trembled beneath their feet.
Stoneheart roared, charging toward them like a living landslide. The two heroes stood side by side, bracing themselves. Their stances were awkward—untrained, almost sloppy. Fear lingered in the corners of their eyes, but something else shone through too.
Determination.
And then—
CRACK—!
A shadow cut across the stadium like a blade of night.
A slash of pure darkness—silent and cold—struck Stoneheart across the chest, launching him backward a dozen feet in a spray of shattered stone.
Both Ladybug and Cat Noir whipped around, startled.
There, just past the edge of the stadium lights, stood a figure draped in a long black marionette-style trench coat. The hood was up, casting shadows over the strange, chilling mask that covered his face—a smiling doll's visage with void-black eyes, streaked with white dots and black tears running like ink down its cheeks.
Even the air around him seemed quieter. Colder.
Cat Noir raised his staff. "Uhh… who are you? I wasn't told there'd be a third partner."
The figure tilted his head slowly—unnervingly—like a puppet hanging on invisible strings.
"I am not your partner," the voice echoed, low and haunting, as if coming from somewhere far beneath the mask. "Nor your ally."
He stepped forward. The shadows clung to him like oil.
"But you have caught my interest. If the old man trusts you…" His voice sharpened. "Then once this is over, we will have a battle. To test your worthiness."
Ladybug tensed, her hand instinctively gripping her yo-yo.
The masked figure inclined his head in eerie politeness. "You may call me Marionne."
Before they could react further, a low growl rose behind them—Stoneheart had stood up again.
But Marionne was already gone from their side.
He reappeared—teleporting—right beside the akumatized giant, his coat swirling like liquid shadow. Without hesitation, he launched into combat, his movements graceful and disturbing, like a dancer in a horror ballet.
Cat Noir and Ladybug stared, stunned.
"…Well," Cat Noir said slowly, blinking. "That just happened."
Ladybug narrowed her eyes. "I don't like this."
"Same. He gives me the creeps."
"But if he's helping…"
"…we'll take the assist."
They turned back to the battlefield—three warriors now faced a single monster.
And one of them… wasn't like the others.
Cat Noir panted, crouched beside Ladybug behind a crumbled section of the stadium wall, as the chaos of battle crackled just beyond them. Stoneheart's thunderous stomps echoed across the field, dust trailing his massive steps like smoke from a fire.
"So," Cat Noir asked between breaths, "what's the plan?"
Ladybug's eyes scanned their surroundings with sharp, calculating intensity. Her gaze darted between Stoneheart's massive closed right fist, Alya crouching near the edge of the field with her phone still in hand, and the coiled garden hose left abandoned next to the stadium's utility shed. A spark lit in her eyes.
"This!" she declared.
Before Cat Noir could ask what she meant, she lunged forward, snatching the hose and swiftly looping it around the inflatable suit discarded nearby. In one fluid motion, she wound her yo-yo around Cat Noir's ankles, pulling it tight.
"Whoa, hey! What're you—?" Cat Noir flailed, wide-eyed. "This girl's crazy!"
"Don't resist," she said, lips curling in a grin. "Trust me."
And with surprising strength for someone her size, she threw him.
Cat Noir yelped as he flew through the air, arms flailing wildly—straight into the waiting hand of Stoneheart. The giant caught him with a surprised grunt, momentarily stunned. Just behind him, Marionne's masked face tilted slightly, as if shocked by the sheer audacity of the move. The puppet-masked figure faltered—only a second, but enough.
Stoneheart, seizing the opening, swung his free arm and struck Marionne hard across the torso.
The blow would have shattered stone—but Marionne twisted mid-air with unnatural grace, his coat fluttering as he rotated like a falling marionette, and landed on his feet with a soft thud in the grass. His void-black eyes narrowed behind his mask.
Meanwhile, Ladybug was already racing forward, yo-yo in hand.
"Catch me if you can!" she taunted, darting just close enough to grab Stoneheart's attention.
The giant dropped the object clutched tightly in his hand—a heart-shaped keepsake, glinting faintly in the sunlight—and lunged for her instead, wrapping his stone fingers around her waist.
"And now…" she shouted. "Alya! The tap!"
From the sidelines, Alya, catching on instantly, sprinted to the water valve and spun it with all her strength.
A hiss of pressure—
A burst of water—
The hose inflated the suit like a balloon, swelling rapidly, wedging between Stoneheart and his target. The distraction made him falter, just enough.
Ladybug moved with precision. She twisted in his grip and, with a swing of her yo-yo, smashed the object that had fallen from his hand. It cracked open like porcelain, releasing a whirling black butterfly—the akuma.
Stoneheart's form shimmered, cracked… and crumbled. The stone broke apart like peeling bark, revealing Ivan underneath, confused and blinking in the sunlight.
Cat Noir, sprawled on the grass nearby, blinked up with amazement.
"That," he said with a grin, "was awesome. You're crazy awesome."
Ivan staggered. "Wh-what's going on? What am I doing here?"
Ladybug offered her hand. "It's okay. You were akumatized. But it's over now."
Cat Noir stood, brushing himself off. "You were incredible, Miss... uh... Bug Lady. You did it."
"We both did it," Ladybug said warmly, her eyes meeting his. "Partner."
They raised their hands simultaneously.
"Pound it!" they said in unison, tapping fists.
But before they could breathe a sigh of relief, the air grew cold.
A gust of wind passed between them.
And from the lingering shadows, Marionne stepped forward.
Neither of them had seen him approach—he simply was, suddenly standing a few feet away, the long marionette coat shifting eerily, his masked face unreadable. The white dots in his void-like eyes gleamed faintly, and his black tears gleamed against the doll-like smile etched across the porcelain mask.
Ladybug instinctively raised her yo-yo. Cat Noir took a half-step in front of her, staff in hand.
Marionne tilted his head slowly, examining them both like a scholar dissecting a puzzle box.
"…Hmm," the voice that followed was soft but unnerving, echoing slightly. "You two are… interesting."
Neither hero replied.
"I will be seeing you both again. Not now—my time is short. But when we meet again, I will know whether you are truly worthy of the titles you carry."
Ladybug frowned. "Who are you?"
But Marionne was already fading. Black mist curled around his feet, trailing upward like smoke, swallowing his form.
"In time," he whispered.
And then he was gone.
The black mist dispersed like ash on the wind, and the silence that followed was suffocating.
Cat Noir exhaled slowly. "Okay, so… that guy was creepy."
"Yeah," Ladybug said, still staring at the spot where Marionne had stood. "But something tells me… we haven't seen the last of him."
Above them, the sun was beginning to set.
And somewhere in the deepening shadows, a new player had entered the game.
The wind rustled gently across the empty stadium, carrying the fading echoes of cheering, confusion, and relief. As the adrenaline began to settle in her veins, Ladybug turned to Cat Noir, her voice soft but firm.
"You should get going," she said. "Our identities have to remain secret."
Cat Noir tipped an invisible hat and gave her a roguish smile. "Farewell, m'lady. Let's do this again soon, yeah?"
Ladybug offered a thin smile, brushing her bangs from her face. "Uh-huh… not too soon, I hope."
As he leapt away, disappearing with feline grace over the rooftops, Ladybug turned back and spotted a crumpled piece of paper on the ground. She bent to pick it up, unfolding it curiously. Her heart sank as her eyes scanned the harsh, scrawled words: "You haven't even got the guts to tell Mylène you love her, wuss."
"Aww," she murmured sympathetically.
Behind her, Ivan was sitting on a bench, rubbing his temples as he came to grips with everything that had happened. He saw her expression.
"Kim wrote it," Ivan said sheepishly. "He's always making fun of me."
Ladybug folded the paper gently. "You know, you shouldn't let it get to you so much. There's no shame in telling someone you love them, Ivan."
Ivan blinked. "Hey… how do you know my name, miss?"
"Uh—" Ladybug hesitated, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "Lucky guess."
Before Ivan could question her further, Alya came sprinting across the field, her camera bouncing against her chest.
"Uncanny! Amazing! Spectacular!" Alya gushed breathlessly. "Are you gonna be protecting Paris from now on? How'd you get your powers? Did you get stung by a radioactive ladybug or something? And who was that creepy puppet guy? I've got, like, a ton of questions for you, Miss… uh…"
Ladybug, still trying to catch her breath, offered a sheepish smile. "Uh. Ladybug. Call me Ladybug."
Alya's grin widened like the sunrise. "Ladybug. Super awesome name!"
"Oh, and," Ladybug added, glancing briefly toward the horizon, "that puppet guy? He called himself Marionne. I… don't know if he's a hero."
Before Alya could press further, Ladybug threw her yo-yo upward. It latched onto a beam with a metallic snap, and in one smooth, practiced motion, she launched herself into the air, leaving a trail of awe behind her.
Later – Marinette's Bedroom
Marinette sat at her computer, still in her pajamas, but her face glowed with pride. Her eyes were locked on the news feed playing across the screen. Footage from multiple angles—amateur recordings, live coverage—showed a red-and-black blur and a shadowy cat fighting together like synchronized dancers in a chaotic waltz.
Nadja Chamack's voice played from the speakers: "Thanks to this amateur footage, Parisians now know the identities of our mysterious new heroes! Ladybug and Cat Noir!"
Marinette grinned, turning to Tikki. "I did it, Tikki! I actually did it!"
Tikki hovered just above her shoulder, beaming. "I told you you were up to it, Marinette!"
Downstairs, Sabine's voice rang out from the kitchen. "Marinette! Dinner time!"
Marinette slid back in her chair, barely hearing her mother's call as the news segment transitioned to a pre-recorded announcement.
"I am pleased to announce," Mayor Bourgeois declared pompously from the television, "that we will be organizing a huge celebration in honor of our city's new protectors—Ladybug and Cat Noir!"
Elsewhere – Agreste Manor
Adrien sat cross-legged on his bed, a fond smile playing at the corners of his lips.
"Ladybug," he whispered softly. "Her name's Ladybug."
Plagg, lounging in mid-air beside a golden tray of gourmet food, groaned dramatically. "Eugh. What is this? A bouquet of vegetables and… some kind of salmon mousse? Gross."
Adrien blinked. "Seriously? My personal chef made all that."
"If you expect me to recharge properly after using my powers," Plagg said, floating lazily toward a wedge of camembert, "you need to give me something delicate. Refined. Preferably... stinky."
Adrien sighed. "Fine. What do you want?"
The Eiffel Tower
Far above the sparkling lights of Paris, the previously purified akuma fluttered innocently… only to perch on the tip of the spire. A ripple of dark energy suddenly passed through it—and it multiplied. Dozens of identical akumas burst into the sky, drifting across the city like an ominous swarm.
Back at the Dupain-Cheng Bakery
Marinette stood at the sink, humming softly to herself as she scrubbed the last dish. Her mother sat on the couch nearby, eyes fixed on the television. Then—
"Oh my!"
Marinette turned, alarmed. "Huh?"
Nadja's voice had returned to the screen, but this time, it carried tension and urgency.
"Just as Paris prepares to celebrate its new superheroes, Ladybug and Cat Noir, a wave of panic is sweeping across the capital. Dozens of civilians have been mysteriously transformed into stone-like creatures. It's simply unbelievable!"
Marinette's blood ran cold.
High Above – Rooftop Overlooking the City
Marionne sat perched atop a crooked stone gargoyle, his puppet mask glowing faintly in the moonlight. Beneath the smile etched into porcelain, his real expression was hidden—but the way his fingers tapped thoughtfully on his knee revealed his satisfaction.
A dark breeze swirled his coat as he watched the city descend into confusion once more.
"Well," he murmured softly, his voice distorted by the mask, "let's see how they handle their first mistake."
And with that, he vanished into the shadows once more—just as the night truly began.
Adrien's Room – Late Afternoon
The golden light filtering in from the high windows cast long shadows across Adrien's elegant room, but the mood inside was far from serene. Adrien sat slouched on the edge of his pristine white couch, arms folded, staring with exasperation at the tiny flying menace that had taken up residence in his life.
Plagg.
The black kwami floated lazily above a silver tray, nibbling contentedly on an oozing wedge of Camembert cheese. The pungent aroma was beginning to saturate the room.
"Camembert," Adrien muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fantastic. All he eats is Camembert. Which means I'm gonna end up smelling like a walking hunk of stinky old cheese."
Plagg licked his paws and gave him a smug grin. "You say that like it's a bad thing. This stuff is divine, Adrien."
Adrien didn't respond. His attention was pulled to the television in the background, where Nadja Chamack's voice spoke with urgency and concern.
"These victims transformed into stone beings are still like statues. The police remain baffled. Will they come back to life… or are they frozen in time forever?"
Adrien frowned, worry tightening his jaw. "Plagg… what's going on? I thought we defeated him. We stopped Stoneheart."
Marinette's Room – Same Time
Meanwhile, across the city, Marinette sat on the edge of her bed, staring wide-eyed at the news feed on her computer. Her heart thudded unevenly. Next to her, Tikki hovered silently, tension in her tiny face.
Then the kwamis spoke in unison—Tikki from Marinette's room, and Plagg from Adrien's.
"Did you capture the akuma?"
Marinette blinked. "What's capturing the akuma got to do with the other stone beings still out there?"
Tikki floated down gently and landed on her shoulder. "An akuma can multiply, Marinette. That's why it's not enough to purify the victim—you must capture the akuma itself. If Ivan's emotions turn negative again, the akuma will reactivate. He'll transform back into Stoneheart… and he'll command the entire army of stone beings."
Marinette felt the blood drain from her face. Her fingers clenched tightly on the bedspread. "So it's my fault?" she whispered. "I knew it… I knew it. Tikki, I told you—I'm not cut out to be a superhero. I'm only going to keep messing things up."
Tikki floated in front of her, her eyes wide with concern. "Marinette, calm down. It was your first mission. You were brave and clever. You can do this. You just have to try again. Go back, capture the akuma, and this time you'll succeed!"
But Marinette shook her head, tears of frustration stinging her eyes. "I can't! I'm clumsy! I create disasters wherever I go! If I try again, I'll just ruin everything… for me, for you, for Cat Noir—for everyone! He'd be better off without me."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"I'm quitting."
She reached up and gently removed her earrings—those small, deceptively simple things that had changed her life overnight—and looked at them for a long moment. Then, carefully, she placed them in the small Miraculous box and closed it with a quiet snap.
"I'm sorry, Tikki," she said, barely above a breath.
"No, Marinette—don't—" Tikki's voice trembled as the girl placed the box in her desk drawer and slid it shut.
"…Tikki?" Marinette whispered, suddenly realizing how alone the silence felt without her tiny companion's presence.
But there was no answer.
Adrien's Room – Same Time
Adrien paced the floor, frustration mounting.
"So what, I can't do anything without Ladybug?"
Plagg hovered at eye-level, arms crossed. "Only Ladybug can capture the akuma and repair the damage caused by supervillains. That's how the Miraculous work."
Adrien sank back onto the couch, jaw tight. The weight of helplessness pressed heavy on his shoulders.
Somewhere Deep Below Paris – Hawk Moth's Lair
In the cold, dark sanctuary of his tower, Hawk Moth stood silently at the window, gazing over the city that teetered on the edge of chaos. His butterfly-shaped brooch shimmered faintly as he turned toward his open hand.
"Ivan has a sensitive heart," he mused aloud, his voice laced with sinister certainty. "It won't be long now before his sorrow turns once more into rage…"
A flutter of dark wings broke the stillness as the original akuma—unpurified and free—drifted back into the lair like a faithful messenger. With a flourish of his cane, Hawk Moth captured it, the purple energy pulsing in his grasp.
"And when that moment comes," he whispered, "he and his army of stone warriors will rise again."
His grip on the cane tightened, the light from his ring casting eerie reflections on the walls.
"Then we'll see how long you two can remain hidden, Ladybug and Cat Noir."
Outside, the city braced for celebration—but in his shadowed sanctuary, Hawk Moth's eyes burned with ambition.
"Once I have your Miraculouses, you will be powerless against me."
Across the city, Ivan sat hunched on the stairs of his school, headphones in, still reeling from the events. Adrien brooded silently on his couch while Plagg hovered nearby. And Marinette, alone in her room, stared down at her desk drawer, heart heavy with regret.
"Everyone…" Hawk Moth said with a cruel smile, "will be powerless against me."
His laughter echoed through the chamber, cold and triumphant.
"Mwahahahaha!"
And then, as if to seal the moment, the window closed with a hiss—cutting off the light, and sealing Paris once more in shadow and dread.