Perfect Paradise

by LoganLight

Summary:

 

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news!

After twenty years of marriage power couple Adrien and Marinette Dupain-Cheng have divorced! Following on the heels of Felix Graham de Vanily's shocking confession has everyone wondering: Is this what drove a wedge between the happiest couple in Paris?"

Chapter 1: Tearing at the Seams

Summary:

End of the line.

Juleka stared at the TV as Nadja's words sank in. That... couldn't be right. Could it?

"... M. And Mme. Dupain-Cheng have three children..."

Oh god, the kids! Juleka felt the unpleasant memory of Jagged's absence when she was growing up sting like a wasp. Sharp and unexpected. Like it always did.

Rose burst in, phone open to the same story playing on the TV. Nadja was one of the few news anchors she trusted not to spread misinformation about their most famous friends.

Still her eyes held disbelief as she looked to her wife. "Juleka? Did you...?"

Juleka shook her head. "He didn't tell me anything." From the way Nadja was saying that they were already divorced Adrien didn't tell anyone.

Pulling out her own phone Juleka called the man whose face was plastered all over the news. Adrien would hate that.

"Hey, it's Adrien! You caught me catnapping but leave a message and I'll get back to you!"

"Adrien! We just saw the news! ...God, I don't know what to say. You didn't-" Juleka took a breath as she cut herself off. Adrien had enough to deal with without her adding to it. "If you need any help. With the kids or whatever just call me. Okay? You're still a member of Kitty Section."

Juleka shot Rose a questioning look who nodded vigorously. "You're still our bandmate even if it's been a while. Okay? We're here for you."

Having said what she needed to Juleka hung up. Hoping her words would remind Adrien that he had people who cared about him. It may be a few years since they were in the same support group but Juleka still remembered him. Just like Adrien still remembered her.

Rose was typing furiously. Probably to Marinette. Adrien may not mind being called but it made Marinette's anxiety spike. And she was busy running Dupain-Cheng Fashions.

"Rose, sweetheart, keep it short." Juleka reminded her as she reached for Rose to sit beside her on the couch.

Her wife's fingers pausing with an "-Oh-" as she sat down hard. "I don't think it's sunk in yet."

"Yeah..." Juleka still remembered how Rose looked the first time she walked on stage wearing a Marinette original. Marinette and Adrien letting Rose hold Louis in her arms as their friends looked on. Adrien's lovesick look that never faded since they were teenagers.

"It doesn't seem real..."

---

"Madame Mayor, what's your response to the people that say Chat Noir shouldn't have-"

"I'm sorry it wasn't me," Mylène interrupted, turning to the next reporter. "Yes?"

"Madame Mayor, the people of Paris want to know if the extradition of Felix Graham de Vanily, also known as Argos, is still a priority?"

"Yes! I've spoken with the President and he assures me that we will continue pressuring the UK government to honor our treaties."

"What about accusations of leniency to one Adrien Agreste?" Asked a reporter from one of those papers that might as well have been a tabloid.

Mylène's eye twitched. "Dupain-Cheng," she corrected.

"Isn't M. Agreste the leading contributor to your campaign?" he continued. "Some people have suggested-"

"If these 'people' have any evidence that Adrien Dupain-Cheng collaborated with Monarch I encourage them to come forward. Otherwise I suggest you refrain from spreading rumors and slander. Thank you, that'll be all."

Mylène was followed by a chorus of "Madame Mayor! Madame Mayor!" as she stepped away from the podium.

Once out of sight she collapsed into a chair. Humming Smelly Wolf to herself to settle the hammering in her chest.

"Water?"

She looked up from the offered water bottle to see her longtime boyfriend smiling gently at her. "Yes, please." Mylène returned the smile as Ivan picked her up before setting her back down in his lap.

One of the few advantages to being a short adult.

"I'm glad you took the time to come," Mylène said as she leaned her head onto his chest.

Ivan shrugged. "Kitty Section is taking a break after the last tour and I know how much you hate these things."

Smiling against his shirt Mylène traced his band's logo. "Have I said I love you today?"

"Love you too," Ivan beamed.

"Ahem."

Reluctantly Mylène turned to her aide. Ignoring the slight reproach in his expression at the Mayor of Paris sitting on her boyfriend's lap. At least it was an improvement from him blushing and avoiding eye contact... She thinks. "Yes, what is it?"

"We might have to go with a different dress for the fundraiser. Depending on how... volatile the situation is with M. Adrien."

Mylène blinked. The dress Marinette donated so she wouldn't stand out among Adrien's snobby rich acquaintances? "Huh?"

Her aide handed her his tablet and Mylène read the headline. "Well... shit."

---

"Max! Oh, Max! Wherefore art thou Max?"

"Ha, ha, Kim. Very funny."

"He lives!" Kim raised his arms as Max came back into view of his webcam.

Alix snorting and Ondine shaking her head fondly in their respective tabs onscreen.

"We were just ironing out the kinks to the new software!" Markov explained as he floated next to Max.

"Hey, Markov."

"Hi, Markov!"

"S'up!"

"Hello, Alix, Kim and Ondine." Markov smiled with his eyes. "It's nice to see you again. Congratulations on your new job Kim!"

"I still say leaving him in charge of kids is a bad idea," Alix piped up.

"Uh-huh. Remind me who out of the both of us has gotten arrested the most?" Kim smirked.

"ACAB!" Alix snapped. Blushing from the fact that she'd been caught more often than Kim rather than anything else.

"ACAB," they chorused. Alix had taken to tagging protest art in very public places after joining Mylène and Ivan's activism. Well, on a more permanent basis than the rest of them.

"Besides," Ondine chimed in, "Kim cares about the sport. He's not gonna let them do anything reckless." She narrowed her eyes. "Right?"

Kim put on his most innocent expression, which wasn't very innocent at all. "Me? Encourage recklessness? I would never!"

Alix snorted.

"Statistically speaking there's an eighty percent chance of Kim encouraging reckless behavior in those he interacts with," Max said.

"Ha!" Alix smirked.

"But, of course, the data is skewed on account of Alix being the main data point."

Kim guffawed while Ondine covered her mouth in a vain attempt to stifle her laughter.

"You're all terrible," Alix announced.

Whatever comeback Kim was going to retort with was interrupted by his phone chiming. "Oh shit."

"What?"

"What is it?"

"Adrien and Marinette are getting divorced."

Alix blinked as her own phone chimed. Sure enough Kim was right.

"Max, you look a little off," Ondine stated.

"Yeah, dude. Aren't you the one always saying that marriage has a fifty percent divorce rate?"

"Certainly reminded me when I got married," Ondine nodded.

"Twice!" Kim elaborated.

"Yes, thank you Kim."

"Well... Yes." Max admitted. "But I always thought those two would beat the odds."

"We all did," Alix nodded. "But life throws you curve balls. Believe me, I didn't expect to spend my last year of collège time traveling."

"Lucky!"

"Kim, she had to repeat a grade."

"Oh yeah."

As his friends went back to bantering amongst themselves Markov started running calculations in his head...

---

"You hear the news?" Marc asked.

"Yeah." Nathaniel continued sketching the next page of their comic. "Hand me that would you?"

Marc gave a chuckle as they handed Nath the ruler. "Chloe's ranting about how she 'always knew this would happen' on Twitter."

"You should really block her," Nathaniel pointed out, still not looking up.

"True," Marc admitted without giving any indication that they would. "So... You don't have anything to say?"

Nathaniel sighed as he straightened up. "I mean, shit, Marc. We don't know anything about what happened. We haven't talked to either of them in over a year. I just... Don't give me that look."

"What look?" Marc asked innocently while giving Nath the Look™.

Nathaniel grumbled as he pulled out his phone.

Marc beaming at him.

---

"One ticket for Paris, please."

"Sure thing! Is that one way?"

"Yes, please."

"... Y'know. You look an awful lot like one of Kitty Section's guitarists."

Luka smiled. "I get that a lot."

---

Kagami downed her glass of Romanee-Conti wine like a shot and then poured herself another.

The news playing in 4K on her Samsung QLED flat screen.

Turning on one of the stools of her personal bar to look at the TV. A picture of Adrien's smiling face staring back at her.

She raised her glass. "To proving me wrong."

---

Nino stared at his phone for a moment before sighing and rising to his feet. "So it's over."

Alya narrowed her eyes as she quickly left money on the table for their coffees. "That broke way too fast. Someone blabbed."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later, dude."

"Preferably later."

Nino nodded. "Yeah. You know where she'll be?"

"The studio, drowning herself in work like always. You?"

"Home," Nino stated simply as their paths split. "He always goes home..."

Notes:

Art commissioned from hekuuu on Tumblr XD

ID: Adrien, Nino and Ladybug as adults. Adrien is wearing a green button up with Carapace's symbol on the breast pocket. He's looking down at the Peacock Miraculous in his hands. Nino is to the right, wearing a Chat Noir hoodie. One of Nino's hands is on Adrien's shoulder as Nino looks at Adrien. Ladybug is to the left, facing the side instead of forward like the others. She's looking down at the good luck charm she gave Adrien years ago. Behind them, framed like a halo around Adrien's head, is the akumatization mark of Monarch. End ID.

Chapter 2: Let Me Show You My Play

Summary:

Sins of the Father.

There was a knock at the door.

Adrien specifically told them that he wasn't taking visitors but still there was a knock.

Which could only mean one person.

"Hey dude." Nino stepped tentatively into the room. Eyes widening slightly at the opened bottle on Adrien's desk and the untouched glass in his hands.

The déjà vu hit Adrien so strongly that in that moment he wasn't there but several months past. When Nino last barged in to the sight of Adrien nursing a different glass of wine...

"Bribed him with another action figure then?" Adrien asked.

"Nah, man." Nino gently took the alcohol from Adrien's hands and set it on his desk. "Y'know why he let me in."

Adrien scoffed, wiping at his nose. "Yeah, I'm sure."

Nino noticed that Adrien avoided looking him in the eye. "...Why didn't I know? Why'd you keep... this from me?"

Adrien's mask cracked and his hands started to tremble.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey!" Nino reached for them with his own.

Adrien's arms were around Nino's waist and tears dripping onto his chest. Nino's arms wrapping around his big shoulders as he let Adrien cry.

---

Emma is angry.

Angry at Maman for hurting Papa. Angry at Hugo for taking her side. Angry at her Grandparents for not choosing one.

But at that moment she was mostly angry at the swarm of vultures -no, that was mean to carrion fowl- swarm of reporters that made it impossible to attend school. Sure school sucked but she could see her friends there. And the fencing team was decent.

Anyways, it was her school and she didn't appreciate the thought of her classmates getting cornered by adults who should know better.

"C'mon, Emma! Help me finish this level?" Louis asked with big eyes even though he was too old for them to be (very) effective anymore. Out of the three of them Louis was the only one who inherited their Papa's wavy golden hair and light eyes.

Emma glanced at the controller before going back to staring out the window. "I'm not really in the mood for video games right now. Why don't you ask Hugo?"

Louis scoffed. "He's even worse than you."

Before Emma could ask what that was supposed to mean Louis was already gone. If they were home Louis would've asked Papa or Gregor to play with him while complaining about his siblings being no fun. Or roped one of the maid's into it.

"Louis have you seen- oh." Hugo paused awkwardly at the threshold.

"He's downstairs," Emma pointed.

Hugo frowned. "Going to bug Grandpa while they're working?"

Emma doubted it. "He wouldn't have to if you played with him."

"Or you," Hugo shot back.

"Mm," Emma made a noncommittal grunt.

"...We wouldn't even be in this mess if Papa hadn't said anything," Hugo said, picking up where they left off.

"So he should have just done nothing?" Emma snapped. "Is that it? Just pretend everything was okay!"

"Everything was okay! But now all of a sudden I can't see Grandma Emily? Aunt Kagami isn't coming to your fencing tournament? And Louis, y'know what they call him at school!?"

"Don't!"

"Monarch's Grandson!"

There was a clattering sound followed by a pair of feet stomping up the stairs.

"Louis!" Emma called.

The trapdoor to the upper level slammed shut.

Hugo looked stricken. Like he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

Emma resisted the urge to twist the knife as she rushed past him and up the stairs. Finding Louis curled up on the balcony.

"Hey." Emma resisted the urge to hug him, remembering that he didn't like it. "You know Hugo's just worried about you. He didn't mean to."

"No one ever means to." Louis sniffed, wiping his eyes. "They just do."

She had the distinct impression that Louis wasn't just talking about Hugo. "Ok... fair," Emma sighed as she sat next to him against the brick wall.

Before she could think of anything else to say Hugo came up too.

Louis turned away from his brother as Hugo sat across from them.

"I'm... sorry, Louis." Hugo said as he offered back Louis' controller. No worse for wear despite the drop.

Glancing in it's direction Louis swiped it and gave Hugo a brief nod.

Hugo rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "... I can still help you with that level if you want?"

"I can do it myself."

Emma sighed again as Hugo gave her a pleading look. "We'll both help," she bumped shoulders with Louis. "C'mon, it's been a while since the three of us played."

Louis pressed his lips together as he resisted smiling. "Well..."

"I'll even show you that trick I learned," Hugo added.

"...Okay," Louis rose to his feet. "I know how stairs work, Maman," he said in reply to Hugo's outstretched hand.

Who stuck his tongue out at the words.

Louis chuckled as he went back downstairs.

"...I still say we should tell Papa. Or Maman."

"No no. Remember how they acted the last time something like this happened?"

"They made it go away?"

"They were embarrassing! And not the regular kind of embarrassing. The 'buys an entire company to prove a point' kind of embarrassing."

"Good! They deserve it."

"Yeah, but Louis doesn't."

"... This is such billionaire problems."

"Bullshit."

"Shhhh! Not in Grandma and Grandpa's house!"

Their talk turned to character selection and teamwork as they caught up with Louis. Who was not as ignorant of his older siblings discussion as they liked to believe.

Louis knew this stalemate was for his sake. He wasn't stupid. But he also knew that Emma and Hugo could go back to arguing just like that.

If this was the only way they'd actually spend time together he wasn't about to argue.

---

Nino stared at Adrien with dawning horror. "...No. Hell no!"

"Nino..."

He snatched the untouched glass from Adrien's desk and downed it like a shot. Then started pouring another.

"Nino," Adrien repeated, standing. Laying his calloused hands over Nino's trembling arms.

"What- What the fuck, dude." Nino set down the bottle and glass as he turned to face Adrien. "I thought- You don't deserve this. You don't deserve any of this! God damnit!"

Despite being slightly taller Adrien let Nino pull him back to his chest. Breathing in his cheap cologne and listening to his ragged breathing. He didn't want to let go.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

"It's not your fault."

Nino just hugged Adrien tighter. God he was lame. Here he was supposed to be comforting Adrien about his impending divorce yet it was all Nino could do not to breakdown with him.

Adrien merely returned his embrace.

The memory faded as, just like before, Nino held on tight. And Adrien, just like before, felt safe in his embrace.

---

It was almost ten when Papa went to pick them up. Grandma calling them down from Maman's old room.

Louis practically sprinted into Papa's arms with Emma close behind. His eyes looked red.

"Hugo?" Papa gave him a tentative smile.

"... Excuse me." Hugo went upstairs and locked himself in the bathroom. His face felt hot. Water. Hugo opened the tap and splashed water on his face.

Breathe.

In, one two three...

Out, one two three...

Hugo wiped at his face before heading back to the living room.

"-you've been like a son to us," Grandpa was saying.

He froze on the stairs.

"And you've been a good husband to Marinette," Grandma added.

There was a gasp like a sob from Papa. "Even- Even with all of this?"

"It wasn't my parents divorce that kept Rolland out of my life. It was his own stubbornness."

"And my side of the family is so far away I hardly see them. We don't want that for you two. Or our grandkids."

"I... I don't know what to say," Papa sniffed. "Thank you, Tom. Sabine."

"Please, son. We've told you."

"Call us Papa and Maman."

"O-of course... Maman... Papa..."

Hugo fidgeted with the charm bracelet at his wrist before stomping loudly.

"There you are son!" Grandpa boomed, raising his arms for a hug.

Bracing himself, Hugo returned the bear hug the best he could. Grandpa setting him down with hardly anything broken this time.

Grandma walked up and gave him a softer hug. "Take care of yourself, Hugo."

Hugo sniffed. "Okay... Love you."

"We love you too."

"C'mon," Papa offered his hand. "Emma and Louis are already in the car. Let's go home."

Grabbing his bag Hugo walked past him.

Papa let his hand fall. "...Thanks again for watching them."

"Of course, son."

"We're always happy to have them over."

Hugo's brow furrowed as he spotted the limo. "It's not home without Maman," he muttered.

Notes:

Art by DonnaOneOne on Twitter.

ID: Comic of the scene where Adrien reveals something to Nino and they embrace. End ID.

Chapter 3: With a Little Help from My Friends

Summary:

Girls night out.

Alya splashed water on her face and took a deep breath. Sending a silent thanks to Past Alya for deciding against wearing makeup. "It's okay. You're okay. This is for your best friend. She needs a little normal after hiding several life altering secrets from everyone... Again."

Making sure her afro was still in perfect condition Alya gave her reflection the I'm-watching-you gesture for good measure. Before walking back to their booth.

Rose, Zoe and Alix threw back their shots while Marinette cradled hers.

"So why couldn't Mylène come again?" Marinette asked.

"Something something mayoral duties," Alix supplied while refilling her glass.

"I'm sure she would've been here if she could!" Rose held her glass out for Alix to refill.

"Are you sure you should be drinking?" Zoe asked.

Rose stuck her tongue out. "I'm fine! One night out won't kill me, Jules."

Zoe snorted but held her hands up in surrender.

Marinette suddenly downed her shot and also held it out for a refill. "How are things with Juleka?"

"Amazing as always," Rose grinned dreamily. "You'd think she'd get tired of writing songs about me but nope!"

Alix perked up. "There's a new song?"

"Not for you!" Rose preened. "This one's just for the two of us."

"Aww."

Zoe chuckled into her drink as Alix slumped back down.

Rose grinning innocently. "We're even thinking of getting marr...ied..."

Marinette raised a finger at them "No. We're not doing that. We're not walking on eggshells around Marinette," she stated as her eyes reddened. "I've had my cry... Like, five times."

Alya nodded. "It's true. Marinette is an ugly crier." She was pleased with the chuckle that surprised out of Marinette.

Who wiped at her eyes as she took a steadying breath. "Okay, let's have it then."

The others glanced at each other before Zoe began.

"When do you see the kids?"

Alya gave her a glare from behind Marinette's head.

Zoe gestured in a well-what-did-you-expect sort of way.

"Ow." Marinette grabbed her shot and threw it back. "I can visit them this weekend. Ugh, that sounds awful. Hate that."

"It's weird that the court didn't settle on joint custody," Rose thought aloud.

"...Yup! Super weird!" Marinette grinned forcefully.

Alya bumped her shoulder.

"Alright, fine! Adrien wanted the kids with him and I... Have a business to run." Marinette shrugged with her hands.

Zoe grimaced. "Oh that sucks."

Marinette shook her head. "Adrien was already doing most of the parenting. I dug my heels in pretty hard but... He had a point." She stared into her empty glass. "Guess that's why I agreed to it in the end."

Alya bit the inside of her cheek. Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it.

"See, this is why I only date women," Zoe joked weakly.

"Objection!" Rose stood up to her full five foot four hight. "I've met the women you've dated! They weren't anything to write home about."

"This is why I don't date," Alix muttered as she refilled everyone's glasses.

"That is not why you don't date!" Marinette countered.

"I don't know what y'all are on about. I've only ever had great dating experiences," Alya interjected.

"I don't want to hear it from someone who's still friends with her exes."

"I'm still friends with my ex! We write letters every month!"

"We know, Rose."

"That's weird for entirely separate reasons."

"Also, we're all friends with our exes here."

"I retract the statement."

"LOL."

"Did you just say 'LOL' out loud?"

"I did and I'll do it again!"

"LOL. Lmao, even."

"I'm surrounded by teenagers."

"It helps that you're the size of one."

"I'll make you the size of one!"

"Girls, girls! No fighting. There'll be plenty of time for that later."

"Wh- Why did she say it like that? Why did you say it like that?"

"So, Alix, how's the protest art going?"

"Don't ignore me!"

"Well it's pissed off a lot of people."

"All according to plan then! Zoe?"

"I'm this close to getting boarding schools outlawed."

"Woohoo!"

"Yeah! Stick it to the man!"

"Alix, she's a millionaire."

"Shhhh. Lemme have this."

"What about you Alya?"

"The life of an intrepid reporter isn't as glamorous as it's made out to be-"

"Wait. When was this glamorized?"

"-but it does have it's moments."

As the night wore on Marinette relaxed into their banter. Her smile appearing less forced. Comebacks more natural.

Just for tonight Alya forgot about what Marinette told her. Just for tonight they weren't Paris' protectors but old friends catching up amid their busy lives.

---

"Girrrls, they wanna have fu-un!"

"Ok, Rose, let's get you home." Zoe gently grabbed her friend by the shoulders and steered her towards the metro.

"No," Rose giggled. "I already have a girlfriend," she slurred. "She's...way prettier than you."

"Oh, you owe me big-time Juleka," Zoe muttered.

"That's her!" Rose exclaimed. "That's my girlfriend!"

"Aww, c'mon! The night's still young!" Alix protested again. "We could hit up our old stomping grounds?"

"The night may be young but we're not," Marinette pointed out. Massaging a kink out of her arm.

"Speak for yourselves!" Alix ran a hand through her pink hair with a sigh. "But, yeah. Just don't let it be another six months before we all go out again! Looking at you millionaire people!"

Zoe gave a thumbs up without turning around.

"Just wanna! Just wan-na-a!"

Marinette giggled before realizing Alix was staring at her. "Oh. Oh! Right, millionaire. That means me too!"

Alya snorted as Alix rolled her eyes.

"Sure, we'll do this again soon."

"I'll hold you to that!" Alix said as she stopped to eye a barren patch of wall.

"Good luck!" Marinette called.

"Don't get caught!" Alya added.

... Alya and Marinette turned a corner into an alley. And after a flash of pink and orange light Ladybug and Rena Rouge leapt over the city rooftops.

"Thanks for this," Marinette said. "You were right. I did need that."

"I usually am..." Alya spun her flute as everything she wanted to say suddenly left her.

Marinette using the phone function of her yo-yo while muttering something about fabrics.

"...C'mon." Alya reached out, grabbed Marinette's hand, and pulled her towards her apartment.

"Huh?"

"You're not staying in that big empty mansion all by yourself," Alya stated.

"Well, actually the second mansion also has a-"

"Nope!" Alya cut her off as they jumped over a street. "You're gonna stay up late, working on some new design. Avoiding all of... this" -she gestured vaguely at Marinette- "and when you finally do go to bed it's gonna hit you all at once! So no. You're sleeping over and you're gonna like it!"

Marinette felt her eyes water as Alya's grip on her hand tightened. "O-okay..."

Chapter 4: Y se te Para el Tiempo en tu Cara

Summary:

The hindsight of time travelers.

Bunnyx stared at the fuzzy branches that split from the timeline. None of them good. But none of them world ending either.

Which meant she couldn't, shouldn't rather, interfere.

A change was coming and Alix needed to let it happen.

She waved her hand and the static cleared to show the Celestial Guardian sprinting across the countryside... A deep sigh left her as she swept the timestream back to Paris.

A familiar blue head stood in front of Adrien's mansion. Alix fast forwarded. "Oof that's rough," she winced.

But... This she could do.

Going back a few minutes Alix stepped through the Burrow and detransformed. Joining Luka on his way to see Adrien.

---

"Your interview with Nadja Chamack is set, Adrien."

"Thank you, Gregor." Adrien leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes.

The paperwork to extricate his assets from the "family business" was long, tedious and complicated further by Adrien's insistence on combing through it himself before approving anything... He wasn't particularly trusting at the moment.

"I've also-" Gregor paused.

"Hmm?" Adrien looked up at his assistant's floating emoticon face.

"Luka Couffaine and Alix Kubdel are at the front gate."

Adrien felt something squeeze his chest.

"I will tell them you are indisposed."

"Yeah... Wait." Adrien took a steadying breath. "I'll see them."

"...Are you sure Adrien?"

Adrien straightened the papers on his desk as the pressure in his chest grew. "Send them in."

---

Luka saw some of the tension leave Alix's shoulders as the spherical camera retracted and the gate opened. "You okay?"

"Yes. No. I just, don't like the whole 'Jabba's Palace' routine. Reminds me of Agreste Manor."

"Oh." Luka wouldn't know. He only visited Adrien there once.

"Welcome." A Kanté-class AI said as they entered. Their holographic face neutral.

"Hey, Gregor," Alix greeted.

Gregor bobbed in a nod. "Alix... Luka. Adrien is in the No Fun Room."

"His office," Alix explained at Luka's confused look.

Luka's lips twitched. "He calls it the No Fun Room?'

"Says it helps his ADHD."

"Ah..."

"Please remove your shoes," Gregor asked as he lead them through Adrien's home.

From what little Luka remembered, Adrien's new mansion was almost the exact opposite of his old one. There was colorful carpet and hardwood floors instead of stark tiles. Faded drawings made in crayon ran along the bottom of the walls. The light filling the space was soft and warm.

But there were also... scars.

Empty spaces that obviously used to hold framed portraits were next to pictures of Adrien and his family. Emma in her fencing gear. Hugo playing the piano. Little Louis surrounded by fabrics.

And, just over there, was a family portrait. Marinette and Adrien and the three kids all laughing in a candid photo. It was off center. Like it'd been removed from it's place of prominence.

"Now this is a surprise," Adrien said from behind a desk stacked with papers. "The prodigal son back in town to pay me a visit."

"Hey, I'm here too!" Alix spoke up.

"Alix we saw each other last month."

"And you kept tight lipped about something important dincha?"

Adrien's eyes wandered back to the paperwork on his desk. "I don't see how my personal life is any of your business."

Alix bit her tongue. Reminding herself that she was there to smooth things over not rock the boat even more.

"That's actually why I'm here." Luka walked up to the desk but kept on the opposite side of it. "It's not great to hear but... The relationship between the Ladybug and Black Cat does concern us. As wielders of the Miraculous."

The mask of polite neutrality on Adrien's face was pulled taunt. "I'm surprised you came to me and not Marinette."

Alix coughed.

"... She was busy," Luka admitted.

"Of course."

"Adrien-

"I'm sorry."

Luka blinked. "Sorry?"

"I know it's, heh, twenty-six years overdue but... I'm sorry I went to you for advice about your ex-girlfriend."

"Oh." Luka's confusion didn't diminished but now he knew where Adrien was coming from. "I mean, I don't hold it against you."

Adrien shook his head. "Still. I shouldn't have done that. And I'm sorry."

"I forgive you," Luka said because it felt like the answer Adrien was looking for.

The mask slipped a little as Adrien gave a tentative smile... And stared at Luka... Waiting...

Alix cleared her throat drawing Luka's attention. She gave the slightest jerk in Adrien's direction. Eyes practically bulging as she pointed at him with just her irises.

Luka glanced from her to Adrien. Eyes widening. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you I knew your identity before leaving."

Adrien twisted the rings on his fingers. Over and over and over. "...Is that it?"

"I'm... sorry I wasn't honest with you-"

Adrien shot to his feet. Rolling chair shooting back and papers sliding off their piles. Mask gone as Adrien stared at him with disdain. "Honest with me? Honest with me. Is that all you did, Luka? You weren't honest with me?"

Alix stepped forward. "Adrien-"

"Stay out of this, Doctor Who!" he snapped.

Luka scrambled for the right notes as Adrien's song went into a minor key. "I know we haven't harmonized for a while Adrien but just-"

"Our songs have never been in harmony."

Luka flinched.

"...You don't even remember do you?" Adrien deflated as whatever rage he held onto was replaced with sorrow. "I think you should leave."

"Please, just tell me-"

"You sold me out." Adrien whispered.

"... What?"

Adrien took a deep breath. "You. And my ex-wife. Sold. Me. Out."

Luka shook his head. "No. I would never do that to..." A memory came back to him.

Marinette. Panicked and small. The Celestial Guardian. Loud and angry. Adrien. Hopeful and oh so trusting.

Luka staggered back. "I..."

"Gregor."

The AI materialized. "Yes, Adrien?"

"See him out."

"Of course. Come now. Back the way we came."

"She was trying to protect you!" Luka blurted out.

Adrien's expression hardened further. "I have nothing more to say to you. Good day, M. Couffaine."

"If this is why you-"

"M. Couffaine. You may have seen our faces but you never saw past our masks."

With a nod at Gregor a robotic chair zoomed in and pushed behind Luka's knees. Who fell into the seat. A seatbelt zipping into place before hurrying away with it's charge.

As Luka was ushered out he saw that there were also photos of Kitty Section playing together.

None of them included him.

Alix pinched the bridge of her nose. That could've gone better. She definitely should've bent the rules a bit and told him... Something.

"Not turning out the way you hoped?" Adrien asked, straightening the papers on his desk. "Join the club."

"Luka didn't deserve that from you, Cinderella."

"You're right. He deserved worse."

"That's not- Mm, no. Not getting into this. I'm just gonna go."

Adrien pressed a button and the door to his study closed.

"...Well that's not creepy at all. Do all your doors do that?"

"It's just for this room. The kids overhearing business dealings would be... Legally messy."

"Uh-huh," Alix said, eyeing the window and gripping her Miraculous. "Sure."

"I have a question. For Bunnyx."

Alix sighed. "If it's about the future..."

"I get that we're not friends but you still owe me answers."

She bristled at the allusion to her "owing" him. Remembering the times he posted her bail and asked nothing in return... Her grip on the pocket watch loosened. "Since when aren't we friends?"

"Since you found out about 'something important' and said jack shit. So, y'know, however many years that is."

"..."

Alix looked at Adrien. Laugh lines overshadowed by the eye bags he sported. Tall, muscular frame weighed down by truths made heavier with time.

He was looking at her the same way he looked at Luka. Like she was a stranger... "What do you wanna know?"

Adrien stared into her eyes. "What is Chat Blanc?"

---

Adrien looked at the security feed as Luka and Alix left him.

"Gregor?"

"Yes, Adrien?"

"Luka Couffaine, Alix Kubdel, Viperion and Bunnyx are no longer welcome in my home."

Gregor bobbed in midair as a nod. Eyes sad but understanding. "Of course, Adrien. I will-" His eyes became three dots pulsing in sequence. Before snapping back into focus.

"Gregor? What is it? You okay?"

"... Emilie Agreste has filed for custody of Emma, Hugo and Louis."

Chapter 5: Take My Hand and We'll Make it I Swear

Summary:

Children under the law.

"What're we going to do!?"

"We're not doing anything Marinette. I'm hiring the best lawyers in the world and Cataclysming this circus into oblivion."

"We can't let her have the kids!"

"...You think I don't know that? You think I don't know that?"

"Sorry... I'm just... Call if you need anything. Please."

"... I'll let you know... And Marinette?"

"Yeah?"

"She's not taking them. No matter what."

---

"So what you're telling me is that I'm fucked."

"M. Dupain-Cheng-"

"Adrien. Please."

"... M. Adrien. Your... biological relatives, are very public figures. Emilie Agreste was instrumental in establishing the Centre pour Victimes Akumatisées. Despite the recent controversy surrounding Monarch the CVA is still regarded as providing the best help to Hawkmoth's victims."

"And her decision to let the CVA become independent of Agreste holdings only strengthens her character in the eyes of the public."

"Precisely. Under the law a grandparent has the right to a relationship with their grandchildren. Your decision to prevent contact between your children and their grandmother gives Emilie a legal advantage. If you were to allow her to visit them her position becomes much more tenuous."

"No. No."

"... I see. Then you must offer some evidence that would support your decision."

Adrien sighed as he rubbed his hands over his face. Processing his lawyer's words. Nike was the best and most experienced lawyer who specialized in superhero/supervillain related cases. It helped that she used to dabble in both.

Nike hesitated for a moment before deciding to take a leap. "M. Adrien, in my experience family members often feel guilty about exposing supervillains they are- were close to. Especially a parental figure."

Adrien looked at her.

"Perhaps you do not think Mme Emilie did anything to warrant legal action. Or you do not wish to be scrutinized even more than you already are... M. Adrien. Did you cut ties with Mme Emilie because of something related to Monarch?"

"...Yes."

Nike felt something bubbling up and crushed it with ruthless professionalism.

"But it's all circumstantial. Without proof it's my word against hers."

"Unfortunate... Then we'll have to take the other approach."

Adrien felt the churning in his stomach speed up.

---

"Why can't you come too?" Emma asked.

"Papa has to deal with this mess Grand- Emilie has decided to stir up." Adrien gave her an apologetic hug.

"But you said you'd be able to spend more time with us after the... After it was over," Louis pouted.

"I know kiddo," Adrien kissed his forehead. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you when you get back.

"Okay..." Louis looked down.

... Adrien ruffled his hair.

"Hey!" Louis pulled out of reach of his Papa's unfairly long arms.

"Besides, you don't want your old man cramping your style."

"Pfft! Yeah, sure." But Louis was smiling.

Adrien's grin softened as he walked to his other son. "Try to have fun, Hugo. It's basically a vacation!"

"I don't want a vacation! I wanna go to school!" Hugo snapped.

Adrien sucked his lips in and bit them as he was suddenly reminded of another kid who wanted to go to school. "You'll-" he cleared his throat, "You'll be back before you know it."

The main gate opened, letting in a large van.

"Besides," Adrien smiled, blinking rapidly. "I got you a present."

"S'up little dudes?"

"Uncle Nino!" Emma practically barreled into him.

"Whoa!" Nino stumbled a bit at her momentum with a massive grin. "Hey there, Little Em."

"Uncle Ninoooo," Emma protested.

"Alright, Big Em then. Got enough trophies for it at least."

Emma stuck her tongue out while Louis giggled.

"Sunshine!" Nino offered his fist and Louis bumped it. Flowing into their signature handshake. "Ha! Still got it! Now where's- oof!"

Hugo buried his face in Nino's chest as his own hug dislodged Emma.

Nino returned the embrace. "Missed you too, little dude."

"Ahhhhh! Lookit you!" Rose squealed, giving Emma a big hug and Louis a 'pinkie hug'. "You've gotten so big!"

"Aunt Rose! Aunt Juleka!"

"You miscreants staying out of trouble?" Juleka grinned.

"No!" They lied.

"That's what I like to hear."

Adrien chuckled at the normalcy of this moment. Grabbing onto the spark of joy in his chest like a lifeline.

Juleka walked up to him after ruffling Hugo's hair, who was still hogging Nino, arms outstretched.

Accepting the hug gladly, Adrien took the opportunity to wipe at his eyes. "Thanks for doing this."

"You kidding? Rose practically begged to come along. She adores those three." Juleka glanced over to see Rose had pulled everyone into a group hug with Hugo now trying to wriggle free in the middle. "We all do."

"I'm sorry things are weird with Luka... and Marinette... and Alix... and-"

Juleka held up a hand. "Nope. Stop right there. I've already gotten enough apologies for one day. Er, week. My brother's an adult. He can deal with whatever happened between you two like one."

"... Thanks Juleka."

She shrugged. "If it makes you feel better you can think of it as me returning the favor."

"Which one?"

"Now listen here M. Moneybags!"

Adrien laughed. Startled out of his thoughts by the old nickname. He forgot who gave it to him but it was quickly adopted by their... his, friends. Usually when he was about to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a gift or something. 

A gentle reminder that his friendship meant more to them than his wealth... And that ludicrously expensive gifts made them uncomfortable for several reasons.

That didn't stop Adrien from recommending Juleka to several modeling agencies.

"I just open the door," Adrien started.

"But I have to walk through it," Juleka finished with a smile.

"God, I haven't even asked you how you're doing!"

"I'm good. Modeling experience still comes in handy when they want a magazine cover or something."

"Very dumb of them to only want the Juleka Couffaine to model their clothes some of the time."

"Eh, I'm fine with it. Y'know models don't last long in the industry. Your career already lasted longer than most professionals when you quit as a teen."

"That's what happens when your parents think of you as a doll."

Juleka nodded less from understanding and more to let Adrien know that she was listening.

"Anyway, how's Rose?"

"She's got good days and bad days. The new treatment means she's got more good ones."

"So she's taking care of herself?"

Juleka snorted. "Y'know how she is. Doesn't like dwelling on the bad shit. But, yeah. Mostly."

"Your girlfriend is quite stubborn," Adrien grinned.

"Yup. We have unfortunate taste in women I think."

Adrien covered his mouth to keep from laughing hysterically.

Juleka laid a hand on his shoulder. Worry in her eyes. "If you need anything just call us and we'll come rushing back."

Adrien took a shaky breath. "Yeah."

"Adrien!" Rose said as though she'd just remembered him. Entirely possible considering how engrossed she was with whatever Emma was saying.

Adrien kissed both cheeks as Rose did the same. "Hey, Rose."

"I'm sorry about Marinette," Rose said, energy dampening a little.

"Ah, thanks..."

"Adrien, they should leave soon if they want to make it there before nightfall."

"Gregor!" Rose reached up to cup his holographic face. "Hiding again?"

If Kanté could blush Gregor would. "No... Just busy is all."

"Too busy to say hi?"

Gregor's face went through several emotions too quickly for Rose to follow before simply settling on an embarrassed smile. "No. Not that busy."

"Gregor! My man!" Nino held up a fist again.

Manifesting a hand Gregor met Nino's fist as they went into a completely different handshake.

Adrien raised his hand for their own greeting but Nino flew past it and into a deep hug.

Nino felt Adrien tremble slightly as he melted into his arms. "You need anything you call. You hear?"

"Y-yeah. Juleka already gave me the once over." Adrien said as he bent his knees a little so he could rest his head on Nino's broad shoulder.

"Cause y'know how you are about asking for help."

"That's why I'm here to keep an eye on him," Gregor teased.

Adrien waved Gregor over to the kids without looking up. "Go on. Say goodbye."

Gregor smiled as he floated over to his niece and nephews. "Remember this is a public plane you're going on. There are other people onboard even if it is first class."

"We know Gregor," Hugo rolled his eyes. Which were still a little red from crying.

"I miss the private jet," Emma sighed.

"You know how dad got after he learned about the carbon emissions. He got all... all..."

"... Droopy?" Hugo supplied.

Louis nodded. "Yeah, that."

Emma sighed again. "Okay, okay. Public transportation can't be that bad can it?" She glanced at Rose.

"Ehhh." Rose made a so-so gesture while trying not to pull a face.

"Encouraging," Hugo deadpanned.

"Is it? Then I hope you'll all be good for your Grunkle." Adrien laid a hand on Emma and Louis' shoulders. "He's even older than Grandpa so no roughhousing, got it?"

"Yes, Papa."

"Okay, Papa."

Hugo mumbled something but nodded.

"Good... Th-that's... good..."

Emma and Louis hugged Adrien from both sides.

Adrien squeezing them tight before clearing his throat. "Now go on. Don't want to be late."

"Bye, Gregor. Don't overheat your CPU!"

"That was a one-time occurrence!"

Hugo chuckled as Emma and Louis made their way to the van... Feeling Papa's presence behind him. "Don't let Gregor overwork himself. You know he's bad at judging his limits."

"I'll take care of him," Adrien promised.

Hugo sniffed, wiping at his face. "... I'll miss you."

"It won't be for long," Adrien smiled softly. "But I'll miss you too."

Nino grabbed a bag from the back of the van. "What?" he asked at Adrien's look. "You think I'm going to let my best bro handle this by himself?" he asked as though it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. "No offense Gregor."

"None taken!" Gregor grinned.

"Think again." Nino set his bag down and wrapped an arm around Adrien's shoulders. "We're having a sleepover!"

Adrien rubbed the back of his head. "We're a little old for sleepovers."

Nino took his cap off, pink from sun exposure, and placed it on Adrien's head. "I resent the implications!"

Adrien chuckled, any protest he might have brushed aside.

Juleka and Rose gave a last hug goodbye before driving off. Adrien waving back to his kids as they left the manor's gates. Other hand gripping onto Nino's for dear life.

Chapter 6: Living in Ruins of a Palace Within My Dreams

Summary:

Mother's lament.

"Ok, which gate was it again?"

"I have it here."

Emma played with the auto luggage as Juleka and Rose got organized. Making it's little engine carry it forward and back.

Louis stuck his foot out. Causing it to stop. "No," he chastised.

Emma stuck her tongue out at him but got her stim toy out and played with that instead. Foot shaking on her knee.

Louis raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

It was almost a year since they last visited China and Emma hoped her Mandarin was up to par. It'd be embarrassing if she said something silly in front of Aunt Fei.

"... Do you think Maman will come with us?" Hugo wondered.

"Sorry, mon ange, not this time."

"Maman!" Hugo flew into her open arms. Grabbing on as tightly as he held onto Uncle Nino.

Marinette kissed the top of his head. Hugo inheriting all the tall genes from both sides of the family so she didn't need to lean down. Soon Marinette would have to look up at him the way she had to for Emma.

The thought sent a sharp pang through Marinette's chest and she squeezed a little bit tighter.

"Maman, you're here!" Louis beamed as she ruffled his hair.

"We're swamped at work but I couldn't let you go without seeing you off," Marinette smiled softly. "My little Sunshine."

Louis' smile fell a little but he didn't pull away.

He was so much like his father at that age. Even with the glasses.

"Daughter, ready to see your aunt again?" Marinette asked, switching to Mandarin.

Emma's hands had left the fidget toy in favor of running down her ponytail. "Méi cuò... Muqīn."

Marinette felt another stab at the formality but hid it quickly. "Ni què dìng mā?"

"Shìde shìde!" Emma walked a few steps away and pretended to look at the big screen of timetables. Brow furrowed as she felt her mother's gaze on her back.

"Hey, Marinette."

Pulling her eyes away from her daughter Marinette gave Juleka and Rose a hug each. "Jules! Rose! Thanks so much for doing this."

"You kidding? We've always wanted to visit your family!" Rose bounced slightly on her heels. "Kitty Section just isn't that popular in China."

"Which means we'll be able to walk the streets without being recognized," Juleka observed. "You okay?"

Marinette gave a pained smile and made a so-so gesture.

"Flight F13 is now boarding for departure to Shanghai. Flight F13 is now boarding for departure to Shanghai."

"Eep! That's us!" Rose directed the auto luggage in the proper direction as she gave Marinette two quick cheek kisses goodbye.

Marinette placed a hand on her sons' shoulders. "Take care of each other. Listen to your Grunkle and Aunt Fei."

"Yes, Maman," they chorused.

Hesitating for a moment Marinette walked up to her daughter. "I... Tell Aunt Fei I said 'Hi' and that I'll visit when things are a little less hectic over here."

"... Okay."

Marinette reached out a hand for her daughter's shoulder... Her fingers curling up as she let her hand fall to her side. "Okay."

"... Māma," Emma whirled around to look at her mother. "... Zhàogù hǎo zìjǐ."

Marinette swallowed. "Wo ye ài ni."

Blushing and biting her lip Emma hurried after her brothers.

Juleka hugged Marinette. "We'll keep an eye on them," she promised.

And then they were gone. Marinette standing alone and numb as the world went on around her.

A harried looking family rushed past with a stroller.

Four teens were laughing and joking with each other as they got out their tickets.

An older couple shared a chaste kiss.

Marinette turned on her heels and wiped at her eyes. Getting into her Tsurugi brand car, one of the few private vehicles left on Parisian streets.

"Destination?" The onboard computer asked.

"Le Mode Dupain-Cheng." Marinette took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She had work to do.

---

"Don't be bemused! It's just the news! This is Nadja Chamack and today we have Paris' favorite philanthropist, Adrien!"

"Hello again, Nadja."

"I wish we had you back on the show under better circumstances."

"Don't kid. You love the scandal!"

There was some light laughter from the audience as Nadja shrugged in foux guilt.

"In all seriousness though, your divorce came as a surprise to all of Paris. Especially so recently after your cousin's confession."

"Yes, Felix's revelation was shocking. I thought we were close enough where he could be honest with me but... that wasn't the case. You think you know someone, y'know?"

"So you're sympathetic to your cousin?"

"Oh, no. I fully endorse Mayor Haprèle's continued calls for extradition."

"Some of our watchers say that's quite cold of you."

"Some of your watchers forget that Monarch terrorized my city too."

"Indeed. What about the claims that Marinette issued the divorce due to the revelation about Monarch?"

"Baseless rumors. I'm the one that filed for divorce."

"Oh?" Nadja leaned in.

"We were having trouble even before Felix's little stunt. It was just poor timing."

"Isn't it always. And the nature of these 'problems'?"

"I'm afraid that's between me and my ex-wife."

"Nothing too serious, I hope?"

Adrien smiled blandly. "Nothing other couples haven't gone through."

"What about the custody of your children?"

"Marinette is busy running Le Mode Dupain-Cheng it seemed best to give our children a more... stable, environment."

Next.

"How could he not have known? That terrorist was right under his nose!"

"Talk like that is exactly why you shouldn't be here! You're ignorance on how abused children are treated-"

"Abused!? That sheltered little mama's boy had the world handed to him on a silver platter!"

"Says the man with ten yachts!"

Next.

"The Atlantean delegation has once again refused any compromise on-"

Next.

"Ryuko has successfully redirected the hurricane and dispersed it's energy. Climate scientists have issued a warning that the Miraculous hero has only given us a temporary reprieve from the worst of climate change-"

Next.

"-and Claudie Kanté have been chosen for the EU's joint mission to Mars. Mother of the famous Max Kanté, Claudie started as a test pilot for experimental spaceships-"

Next.

"Miraculous hero Wanblí spoke out today against America's continued encroachment onto indigenous land. In violation of established treaties-"

Next.

"Is Ladybug lying to us!? The people of Paris have a right to know!"

Next! Next! Next!

"Mme. Dupain-Cheng! Mme. Dupain-Cheng! Will your recent divorce affect the fall line's release?"

"No. I have a great team that's been working diligently to keep us on schedule."

"What about concerns of burnout?" Another voice called.

"That's why we've hired extra hands to help with the more technical aspects. Union representatives have been very helpful in contributing to a safe and efficient work environment."

"And the criticism the spring collection faced? Some say it was precisely because of these policies that-"

"The spring collection was always experimental. Any issues it had rest entirely on m- my shoulders... I would remind you that people work best when they're not exhausted. Thank you, that'll be all."

"Mme. Dupain-Cheng! Mme. Dupain-Cheng!"

Emma exited out of her news app and pulled out her earbuds as the fasten seatbelt sign blinked on. "Bit late for that," she snorted.

Chapter 7: Wō Men Zài Zhè Li, Zài Zhè Li Deng Ni

Summary:

We are here waiting for you.

"Wài sheng nü!" Aunt Fei held out her arms and gave Emma a hug strong enough to rival Grandpa's. "Wài sheng!" She repeated the embrace with Hugo while giving Louis a fist bump. "You've gotten so tall!"

"A yí Fei," Hugo gave a broad grin.

"Thank you for having us on such short notice, Fei." Juleka accepted her own hug.

"You kidding? Buó Buo Wang loves meeting Mèi Xù's family." Fei chuckled good-naturedly. "I swear sometimes he's more grateful about restoring Shīfu's school than I am."

Hugo shifted uncomfortably.

Louis leaned in and asked Emma, "Mèi Xù?"

"She means Papa."

"Oh."

"Awwww," Rose's eyes sparkled as she grasped Fei's hands. "That's so sweet!"

Fei felt her grin widen at Rose's sincerety. "Never change, Rose. Now c'mon, we don't want to leave Buó Buo waiting!"

Emma and Louis' faces were plastered to the window as the Tsurugi car drove itself through Shanghai's streets. Never getting enough of the city their Grandma grew up in.

The cityscape blurred past Hugo's eyes. He forgot Papa gave Aunt Fei the money she needed to rebuild her dad's school as a "birthday present".

It took some convincing. Aunt Fei was as stubborn as Maman when she wanted to be. But if Hugo was remembering this right, she agreed to train Papa once the school was open.

That's probably why Monarch's involvement with Wu Shīfu's death didn't drive a wedge between her and Hugo's parents... His fists clenched at the thought of how close they were to losing yet more family to this... this... this bullshit.

"I hear Ladydragon has been getting into trouble with the cops," Louis stage whispered to Emma as he spotted street art of the shapeshifting superhero.

"Lòng Nǚshì is a servant of the people," Aunt Fei supplied. "If a law is not just then she sees no reason to uphold it."

Aunt Juleka nodded solemnly. "ACAB."

Aunt Fei grinned.

They pulled up to the Thousand Delights. Their Grunkle's restaurant closed for the day.

"Buó Buo!" Aunt Fei called. "We're here!"

"Kids!" Grunkle Wang rolled up to them in his wheelchair and stretched out his arms. The chair was decorated so that it looked like it was wearing a chef's uniform too. Rolled up sleeves on the sides and an apron string tied at the back.

Each of them bowed to him in greeting.

"So good to see you," Grunkle Wang smiled. "Shame Marinette could not come."

"Yeah, a real tragedy," Emma muttered under her breath.

"I'm sure she has a thousand things on her plate and is trying to do them all at once, like usual Buó Buo," Aunt Fei answered.

Emma couldn't quite smother her laughter.

"I mean, she's not wrong," Louis observed.

"Maman is really busy!" Hugo defended her with more than a hint of indignation.

"Buó Buo, this is Juleka and Rose. Family of Mèi Xù and Meì Mei's,"

Juleka blushed. "Oh, we're- that is-"

Grunkle Wang reached out and clasped her hand. "An honor to meet family from France. You are very welcome in our home."

Rose eyes shone. "It's great to finally meet you. Marinette always said you were her favorite part about visiting Shanghai. Well, you and Fei."

Juleka laid a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "Thanks, Wang Shīfu. But we already-"

"Nonesense! You are our guests. I insist you stay here."

"Buó Buo, this place isn't as big as it used to be," Fei reasoned.

Juleka started to nod.

"Which is why they'll be staying at my school."

"Exact-" Juleka did a double take.

Wang Shifu grinned. "Yes. That way they are still under the family's roof, no?"

"Well..." Juleka trailed off.

"We'd love to stay with you!" Rose beamed.

---

Hugo glanced through the photos of his family on the walls of his room. It was... smaller than he was used to. And his family looked so big. He wasn't sure how they managed to fit everyone into such a space.

Still, they looked happy. Hugo wished he could've met his great grandparents. His hand hovered over a photo of what he thought was Grandma Sabine standing next to them. Hard to tell with her looking younger than he was.

Odd. The soft pressure at his chest for a time he never knew.

Hugo shook his head of the feeling as he made his way downstairs.

"-this is wise, Renren."

"I promised Mèi Xù."

Hugo blinked. "Aunt Fei?"

"Placing yourself between an unbalanced Yin-Yang could have grave consequences."

"Then it's a good thing this is something they both agree on."

"... Your sense of duty is commendable, Renren."

Hugo walked closer. His Mandarin was rusty and the voices were muffled but that sounded like...

"I know you're just looking out for me like you always do, Mei Shi. But they're family. I can't just tell them 'no'."

Aunt Fei jumped as she saw him standing outside her door. "Hugo!"

"Sorry! Didn't mean to startle you, A yí Fei. Do we have guests?"

"What? Oh, no. I was just talking on the phone with a friend. Let's head downstairs and see if Buó Buo needs help in the kitchen. If I know him he's gone all out again."

Aunt Fei placed an arm over Hugo's shoulders as they passed Grunkle Wang's elevator. The prospect of helping in his Grunkle's famous cooking almost enough to distract Hugo from what he'd overheard.

Almost.

---

Louis breathed in the smells of a five star chef's cooking and tried to keep his mouth from watering.

Rose wasn't trying at all as she stared at the first course. "Ooh! Marinette soup!"

Emma narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the creamy purple bowl.

Hugo rolled his eyes from across the table and picked up his spoon.

Grunkle Wang grinned as Aunt Juleka and Aunt Rose started scarfing down the Marinette soup as politely as possible.

"Mmmm!" Aunt Rose mumbled, mouth too full for words.

"This is amazing," Aunt Juleka praised before following her girlfriend's example.

Emma's eyes went wide as she had her first mouthful. Her second quickly following.

Hugo smirked as he blew on his spoon to cool it down.

Louis savored the warmth of it's flavor. He usually didn't like creamy soups but the texture of this one was just right.

"There's a reason it's stayed on the menu all these years," Aunt Fei grinned as she swallowed. "It's very popular with the clientele." Her smile lessened. "Or at least it was..."

Grunkle Wang waved this away as he rolled up to his plate. "It will blow over once the newest scandal comes along. Then they will not find my soup suddenly 'disagreeable'."

The salty flavor was suddenly bitter in Louis' mouth. From the way Hugo's spoon stopped halfway he felt it too.

Emma looked down at her empty bowl. "Is it because...?"

"No," Grunkle Wang shook his head. "Enough of that. It's time for the second course!"

Aunt Fei stood up. "Buó Buo, let me."

"I can do it," he tried to wave her off.

"Buó Buo you did most of the cooking. Let me."

Grunkle Wang chuckled as he adjusted his position. "So I did."

Louis wasn't easily distracted from the thought of his parents' divorce hurting his Grunkle's restaurant. But the food did it's best. There weren't even any carrots in the stir fry.

He couldn't eat cooked carrots. And no white rice either. Which he recalled was something Aunt Rose was supposed to avoid.

There was brown rice though. Which Louis noticed Hugo trying to drown in sauce.

Hugo's eyes briefly met his gaze before flitting away. So he hadn't forgotten either.

The adults talked about how their jobs were going or asked his siblings how school was. All while Louis separated his food and separated his thoughts.

---

Emma left her contacts in their case and took out her glasses.

Ugh, she was definitely leaning towards glasses. Emma hadn't slept well. A fact she blamed on the jetlag.

Absolutely nothing to do with her parents being so ridiculously famous that their relationship status put family business in jeopardy. Nope. Not at all.

...

Of course if it came down to it Papa would just-

Emma slapped her cheeks to wake herself up and derail that particular train of thought. She really needed to stop trying to solve everything with money.

The comb ran down her hair to smooth it out before she tied it into her ponytail.

Money did solve a lot of things though. Like getting the elevator installed or finding a wheelchair model that Grunkle Wang could maintain without relying on Aunt Fei. Reconfiguring the kitchen-

Emma stood abruptly and, making sure she was presentable, marched towards the door.

Money doesn't solve friendship problems though.

Her brothers and Aunts were waiting for her downstairs.

And it definitely didn't solve family problems no matter how much she wished it did.

"Alright!" Aunt Fei grinned. "First stop: breakfast."

---

Emma greedily finished her jianbing as they walked up to the Shanghai Museum... "Wait. Who-"

Hugo's big eyes and stupid grin was her answer.

She hid the fond smile that threatened to peak out behind what was left of her breakfast. Trying not to roll her eyes. No, really.

"Keep close. This place is fu- freaking huge," Aunt Fei stated.

Emma did roll her eyes at that. Only for her to stare up at the massive crisscrossing stairs connecting the museum's levels. Families and other tourists milling inside.

Aunt Fei led them to the Gallery of Ancient Chinese Paintings.

Hugo's eyes still trying to bug out of his head.

Louis was trying to avoid touching anyone. Thankfully it wasn't that crowded.

"This is a recent addition. I thought all of you might appreciate it. Being from Paris and all," Aunt Fei said that last part like she was about to let them in on a joke.

Hugo muttered appreciatively to himself as he gazed at the paintings. No doubt able to tell what dynasty they were from. Nerd.

"...and this one is..." Hugo jerked.

Oh, his eyes can get bigger!

"Hēi Māo!"

Emma blinked before actually looking at the painting that had Hugo enthralled.

It was a man wielding a long staff. His black robes tied around his waist with the sash trailing behind him like a tail. His short hair denoting his criminalized status. A cat-like mask atop his head.

Hēi Māo. The Black Cat.

"Piáo Chóng!" Hugo exclaimed again.

The woman was similarly dressed to her partner except with less armor and more spots. Her hair denoting that she was at least well off.

The Ladybug's yo-yo twirling around Piáo Chóng.

"I thought the Miraculous wielder's were more well hidden?" Aunt Rose asked.

"These paintings are ancient. Far older than anything found in Europe that relates to the Miraculous," Aunt Fei explained. "Even so they were donated to the museum by an old family. I doubt the painter, or painters, ever meant for their work to be observed by the common people."

Emma stared at these ancient predecessors to the heroes of her city. Feeling strangely connected to the legacy of the Miraculous. Even though it was Hugo who was rattling off their names and what villains they had fought.

Aunt Rose nudged Aunt Juleka and pointed to a painting of Purple Tigress' predecessor. Aunt Juleka blushing for some reason.

"You certainly know more about the Miraculous lore than I do, wài sheng," Aunt Fei praised.

Hugo beamed. "Yeah, Papa taught me everything... I know." His face fell a little as he stared at the image of Húdié, the Butterfly. "Papa didn't know much so he taught himself so he could teach me."

Emma remembed that. It was one of the few fights her parents had before the big one. She couldn't say why.

Aunt Fei froze as she moved to put a hand on Hugo's shoulder. Head tilting up as though she was listening to someone.

"In broad daylight?" she muttered.

Louis looked up at her in confusion. "A yí?"

"Sorry!" Aunt Fei snapped to attention. "I have to take care of something real quick! Be right back!" She gestured to Aunt Rose and Juleka to watch them as she practically sprinted down the stairs.

Emma blinked. Aunt Fei's sudden departure reminding her uncannily of the times her parents would vanish due to 'something important'. "Must be a grown up thing," she muttered. Yes, absolutely nothing suspicious about that.

Louis was talking quietly to Hugo so Emma decided not to interrupt that. Aunt Rose and Juleka were keeping one eye on her brothers and another on the paintings.

Emma turned and- Blond hair in a green suit turned a corner on the other side of the museum. "Papa?"

He definitely looked like her Papa. And it was only the gallery right across from them. She had her phone with her... "Going to the restroom. Be right back!"

Her Aunts nodded to show they heard.

It could not be Papa, Emma thought as she went down and up the stairs to arrive at the same level. But y'know, opposite. In which case it would be slightly less embarrassing without an audience.

Emma turned a corner and to her surprise there he was. "Papa!"

Papa grinned and held out his arms for a hug. Which Emma accepted. Weird, he was wearing cologne.

"Hey there, Em!"

"What're you doing here? I thought you needed to stay in Paris for paperwork reasons?"

"True, but I couldn't just leave my darling daughter like that now could I?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Papa!"

Papa grinned as he moved away from her play shove.

He felt lighter too. Not a lot. But enough that it seemed like the suit was hiding some weight loss. Was Papa eating enough?

"Oh!" He snapped his fingers. "Before I forget, I wanted to ask you. Have you seen my brooch?"

Emma's brow furrowed. O...kay? "A brooch?" Papa wore plenty of rings and sometimes earrings but she didn't remember him ever having a brooch.

He rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah I seem to have forgotten where I put it. It's silver. Shaped like a fan or a fancy flower." He stepped closer with a friendly smile. "You haven't seen it?"

Emma suddenly felt the chill of the museum air against her back. "Felix?"

Felix's charming smile melted into something sharper as he glanced at the other patrons. "I just want what your father stole from me."

Emma backed away from him and closer to the open space of the foyer. "I don't know-"

Felix's hand snaked out and clasped itself around her wrist. "Think! Adrien isn't that good at hiding things!"

"You're hurting me!" Emma cried out. The bones of her arm felt like they were sliding together with the force of his grip. Which didn't budge no matter how much she pulled at it.

"Just tell me-"

A flash of pink and Felix was sent hurtling across the gallery floor. Thankfully missing the exhibits. Patrons screaming in shock and fear.

Emma stumbled back as Pigella stood between her and the impersonator.

"Alright, fuck-face!" Pigella cracked her knuckles. Despite her short stature she radiated Fnd Out energy. "You got two choices. I beat your ass senseless and call Pagasus to dump you into a nice cozy French prison cell. Or you get the hell out of Shanghai."

Felix sneered condescendingly at her. No easy thing to pull off with him holding a black eye.

In answer he pulled something out of his coat and smashed it on the floor. Smoke billowing out of it. Eliciting another round of panicked screams.

"Remain calm!" Pigella held her arm over Emma as though worried Felix might try for her again.

But when the smoke cleared Felix was gone.

"Stupid supervillains and their fucking smoke bombs," Pigella muttered.

"Emma!" Aunt Juleka was on her in a flash. Looking over her for injuries.

She could see Hugo and Louis hovering worriedly behind her.

"Are you ok?"

"I- I- I-"

Breathe Emma.

Breathe.

Emma took a shakey breath.

"I'm... o-okay."

Aunt Juleka hugged her close. Emma burying her tears in purple and black.

Chapter 8: I Broke so Many Bones... But None of Them Were Ever My Own

Summary:

Home invasion.

The meeting was going quite well, all things considered, until M. Adrien's phone rang. Nike knew suddenly that they would get no further work done today.

"Apologies, it's the emergency cell," M. Adrien stated before picking up. "I'm a little preoccupied at the... WHAT!?"

M. Adrien's chair rolled into the wall as he sprang to his feet.

"I'll be right there!" Hanging up, M. Adrien pulled at his tie. "Excuse me but I have to leave immediately."

"M. Dupain-Cheng, this is highly irregular..."

But M. Adrien was already sprinting out the door.

"Mme Pallas, if your client isn't going to take this seriously-"

"Isn't he?" Nike interrupted, collecting her papers. "He said there was an emergency. And he went to take care of it."

There was a loud boom that rattled the windows of the building as a streak of green shot Eastward. Speaking of emergencies it looked like Astro Chat had one of his own.

The other lawyer glared at the hero's afterimage like it was his fault for interrupting.

"It's alright, Francis dear," Emilie smiled as she patted his shoulder. "Adrien's always been like this. He really can't help it."

... Nike decided she did not like Mme Agreste.

---

Fei jumped out of the ninja dog pile they tried to trap her under as a mantis. "You guys must be desperate if you're resorting to this nonsense!"

She shifted into a horse and kicked out her hind legs as a ninja tried to jump her from behind. Sending him flying.

"You will not keep us from our task Ryuu-sama!" One of the tougher ones turned invisible as he said so.

"That's Lòng Nǚshì to you tech Ninja!" Fei turned into a serpent. His 'cloak' only making him that much more visible to her reptilian eyes.

He tried to catch her as she lunged at him but Fei wrapped around his fist, used his neck as leverage, and made him punch himself nearly unconscious.

Lòng Nǚshì picked his sorry ass off the floor and removed his hood. One of his eyes was replaced with a very convincing replica. At least when it wasn't actively glowing and blinking targeting icons against the lense.

"Tell your mistress, the Shredder, that there is no place for the Foot Clan in Zhōngguó."

Fei let him drop like a bag of onions. Taking on the eagle's form she quickly flew back to her original mission. The Renlings praising her for her efficiency and style.

"Are you sure we can just leave them, Mei Shi?"

"You have rooted out every base and safehouse the Foot have tried to establish in Shanghai. The only options left are those already under the control of the triads or black societies."

"If only they were as easy to root out," Fei muttered.

"All in due time."

"I just hope that-" There were police vehicles in front of the Shanghai Museum. A chill that had nothing to do with the racing wind blew through her feathers. Fei dived.

"-I was protecting the child from an assailant," Pigella repeated for the upteenth time. Her patience with the pigs, pardon, police near saint like.

"And you just happened to be in the museum because?"

"Sightseeing. Even superheroes need vacation time."

The officer conferred with his colleagues. Several of them stealing glances at the kids who huddled around Emma.

Juleka stared at her phone as the person on the other line hung up. "Well that can't be good."

"Juleka!" Fei called as she ran up. "What happened?"

"Had a little copycat situation. R- Pigella took care of it."

Fei made a conscious effort not to clench her jaw. Felix. She looked over the kids again. Emma was drawn in on herself and was rubbing one of her wrists. Wincing as she touched it.

Restraint be damned Fei was going to shoot lightning at him first chance she got.

"Have you called them yet?"

"Couldn't reach Marinette. Adrien said he's 'on his way'. Not sure how he plans to get here all the way from Paris." Juleka's brow furrowed as she glanced at Emma.

"... Oh." Fei scanned the growing crowd. The thieves in uniform were debating whether or not the paperwork was worth running this up the chain. And was that a fucking news van?

"Mei Shi," she whispered. "could you?"

"Of course." The spirit zipped off between the onlookers legs to pull some wires in annoyingly hard to reach places.

"-have family in Japan. He says it's normal for magical girl transformations to mess with the security cameras." The other cops looked at him skeptically.

Surreptitiously, Fei peaked at the tablet they were gathered around. Camera feeds from multiple angles showed regular museum patrons. A flash of pink across all feeds. And then Pigella was just there. Standing between Emma and her attacker as though summoned out of thin air.

Well, at least they wouldn't be figuring Rose out anytime soon. That was-

A massive boom echoed through the square, shaking the buildings around the edge of the park. The morning sun seemed to dim across the entire city for a moment before the shadows pulled into a single point.

Fei's mind slid past the darkness streaking through the sky and suddenly Adrien was there running up to his kids. A cop stared up, scratching his head as the windows stilled.

"Papa!" Hugo and even Louis accepted a massive, if brief, hug from him but Emma's eyes widened as she took a step back.

"H-how did-"

"I called him," Juleka explained, giving Adrien her own questioning look.

There was a buzz of static and then Gregor was floating beside Adrien. "Emma! Are you alright? Hold still." The Kanté started scanning for injuries.

Emma visibly relaxed at Gregor's presence. Letting Adrien gingerly hold her wrist in his palms as Gregor's scan paused on it.

"There is some bruising but no other injuries," Gregor informed them as Adrien took out an ointment from his pocket and gently rubbed it into the discoloring skin.

Emma stared at it for a second. Her eyes starting to water again. "P-Papa!" Adrien's arms wrapped around her like a shield. Without the telltale scent of Felix's cologne.

"We're going home."

"What? But we just got here!"

"Hugo-"

"We hardly ever get to visit Maman's side of the family!"

"You didn't even want to come."

"Y-yeah, but we're here now! And you-" Hugo turned away to rub at his eyes as his throat constricted. "You s-said we could stay..."

Adrien laid his hands on Hugo's shoulders. "Okay... Okay," he turned to Emma. "Is that alright?"

Emma hesitated for a moment. "Will you stay with us?"

Adrien smiled, eyes softening further. "Of course..."

---

Rose was getting a little tired of the only cop that spoke French repeating his questions. Actually she felt tired in general. Odd, she didn't even break a sweat.

But Felix laying his hands on Emma did make Rose feel her thorns. Her heart practically burst out of her chest when she heard Emma's voice.

She frowned.

Wait.

How did Rose hear Emma from practically the other side of the museum? And she knew. Even before seeing Felix she knew what Emma needed from her.

Rose rubbed her wrist.

"You're hurting me!"

Her stomach churned.

Pigella wasn't prone to hesitation in uniform but she leapt over the museum atrium like-

A boom shook her bones. Shadows swelled. Adrien ran up to his children and embraced his sons. Panic crossed his daughter's face and Rose regretted not breaking Felix's nose.

Rose smiled as Emma let Adrien hug her. A brief disagreement rising between Adrien and Hugo. Adrien went to go talk with the cops, putting on a polite, if concerned, expression with unsettling ease.

Juleka took advantage of the cops' apparent distraction to slide up to her. "You ok?"

"A little worn," Rose admitted. "Regretting not pushing past the employees before les flicailles showed up."

Her girlfriend pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. A thought crossed her eyes and the mirth vanished as Juleka frowned.

Rose stealthily reached down and wrapped her pinky around Juleka's. "I'm fine, Jules."

Juleka squeezed back before letting go. Conscious of their audience.

Adrien walked up to them with a professional mask on his face. Extending his hand. "Thank you, Pigella. For protecting my daughter," he said loudly.

Pigella nodded. "Happy to be of service citizen."

He stepped closer and stage whispered, "We're going to be staying at Fei's school. I'd like some time with my kids."

Rose squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Of course!" she replied with her public function smile on.

Taking advantage of the cops preoccupation with Adrien, Pigella leapt away. The square was quite wide and this city had more skyscrapers than she was used to but Rose managed to stay out of sight as the cops finally let everyone go.

Adrien and the kids piling into the car. Fei vanishing as quickly as she reappeared.

A purple blur leapt up to Pigella's spot. Smiling at the sight of Purple Tigress she leapt down into a nearby park that had enough trees to let the magic hide them.

"You want to run to Fei's place?" Juleka asked as she followed.

"Tempting. But I think Pigella's hogged the spotlight enough for one day," Rose sighed.

Juleka nodded as they dropped their transformations. Magic fading as that strange exhaustion set in.

"Besides, we could always-"

The ground spun. Skyscrapers danced around her. The world faded as feeling left her. She heard something collapse.

"Rose!? Rose!"

---

"Are you sure they can't stay?"

"Sorry, Buó Buo but it's safer at the school... And I have more room," Fei tried a smile.

Wang Cheng sighed. "I wish Bastille was still here."

"I know Buó Buo. Maybe you can visit him at the reserve next month?"

"Oh no. Too busy then... But perhaps after."

"They're almost done packing... again," Adrien stated as he came down the stairs. "I'm sorry about-"

Wang Cheng raised a hand. "Don't apologize for protecting your family. But if you miss dinner you will be sorry you didn't get to taste my cooking again."

Adrien smiled, bowing slightly to hide his watery eyes.

His phone rang. "Jules? What-" Adrien's face paled.

---

Placing the glasses on as he walked up to the gate he held out a special remote and clicked. The gates jerked for a second before opening wide.

The setting sun stretching the shadows of stone statues lining the short driveway and continuing into the herb garden. Magical beasts staring at him with unseeing eyes.

Taking out his key card he swiped it against the pad beside the front door. The screen fritzed out before displaying the proper code.

Recognized, Adrien Dupain-Cheng, ran across it as the door opened.

Smiling, he strode in.

Now where was-

A holographic emoticon face flickered into visibility in the center of the foyer.

"Felix. You aren't welcome here."

---

Alert.

System breach.

Main gate open.

Front door unlocked.

Intruder designation: Adrien Dupain-Cheng.

Error.

Current location: Shanghai, Wu Nèi Jiā Kwoon.

Correction: Intruder designation, Felix Graham de Vanily.

Classification: Threat.

Objectives:

• Catalog physiological differences between Felix and Adrien to prevent infiltration.
• Repel intruder by threat of capture or force.
• Make him regret daring to harm Gregor's family.

Static coalesced into physical shapes as Gregor opened his eyes. Felix standing in the foyer wearing an approximation of Adrien's suit and glasses.

"Felix. You aren't welcome here."

The imposter's eyes widened fractionally. Surprised to see Gregor or that he saw through the disguise so easily was immaterial.

"Didn't expect to see you here, AI," Felix smirked, wheels turning behind sharp eyes. "How did you know it was me?"

Felix is twenty pounds lighter. Eyebrows point five degrees off. Callouses on his hands in the wrong place. Makeup applied too heavily to hide wrinkles in places Adrien's weren't. The suit is new, unworn. The scent of cologne, which Adrien does not wear on account of his sensitivity to the smell, reaching his olfactory receptors.

"That's quite a shiner you have," Gregor said instead.

Felix hid his annoyance well. Though his hand twitched as he resisted the urge to touch the makeup covering his black eye. "I'm guessing you've already told Adrien about my little visit?" The picture of steady certainty.

Gregor despised it.

"Do you know what time it is in Shanghai right now?"

In order for Felix to be here now he would've needed to leave Shanghai almost immediately after being discovered. Perhaps that was his goal all along. Getting Adrien out of the house.

"So that's a 'no'." Felix began walking towards Adrien's study.

The hallway doors slammed shut as Gregor made a mental note of Felix's familiarity with the layout of his home. He did not like it.

"Get out of my way," Felix snapped, facade breaking just a little.

"You are not welcome here," Gregor repeated, closing every door going deeper into the manor.

Felix must've seen Gregor project himself from Adrien's phone and drawn the conclusion that he was in there. Incorrect. In a way Gregor was this home.

"This is a family matter," Felix strode forward and threw something at the doors. Which exploded out of the way. "Stay out of it."

Gregor appeared in front of Felix. "Family? I am more family than you'll ever be."

"You!? What would you know about family? You're just a..."

Gregor merely stared at him as the words died on his tongue.

"... Get out of my way!" Felix walked through Gregor's projection.

"Romra leper eht redurtni!"

Medieval armor that was too new to be authentic marched out of every room lining the hall. As one they turned to look at Felix and raised their halberds.

Felix smirked condescendingly at Gregor as he appeared at the end of the hall. "You think this parlor trick can stop me?"

"No," Gregor lied. "But they can distract you long enough for the police to arrive. I hear they have some questions for you."

Felix paled satisfyingly at Gregor's words. Backing away from the enchanted armor. "I want what is mine, Gregor. It belongs to me!"

The armor followed Felix back into the foyer and surrounded him on all sides save the front door. Gregor closing the emergency doors behind him.

"Does Adrien not have an equal claim to it? Or Kagami for that matter? Yet you never let her have it."

Felix glared at Gregor as he mentioned Kagami. "It's mine. I'm the one who figured it out! I'm the one who got Duusu away from G-     ! Adrien would still be under his thumb if it wasn't for me!"

"You seem to revel in taking undo credit for doing the bare minimum. No. Less."

Felix planted his feet and lunged at the nearest suit of armor.

Gregor's outline glowed brightly. "Dniw evomer mih!"

A massive gust of wind blew from out of nowhere. Suspending Felix midair for a moment before hurling him out the front door and through the main gate.

Both shut behind Felix as he rolled to his feet. Standing there, staring at the closed gates. Calculating.

The last rays of the sun disappeared behind the horizon. A winged lion turned their stone head to gaze back at Felix with glowing, red eyes.

Gregor followed him with the outside cameras until Felix was out of sight.

Power fluctuated as tension released from Gregor's circuits. The armor sagging in place as his grip on the spell slipped. He took a moment to process.

Furniture and papers laid scattered across the floor. Thankfully the damage was limited to the foyer.

Running system diagnostic.

...

...

All systems optimal.

Dìzhǔshén backlash within acceptable parameters.

Objectives:

• Reinforce security measures.
• Inform Adrien of security breach.
• Transfer payment to Shanghai General Hospital.
• Give gargoyles a bonus.
• Reorder foyer.

Gregor sighed as he directed the armor to start picking up the mess. It was going to be a long night.

Chapter 9: All I Want to Do is Be More Like Me and Be Less Like You

Summary:

Hospital stays and dyeing days.

Juleka paced in the hospital room as Rose snored softly. Roarr and Daizzi whispering inside the bouquet Adrien brought yesterday.

Adrien closed the door behind him. The flowers of the bouquet rustling at a blur that vanished before Juleka turned around. "Any change?"

She shook her head. "Still stable. Just a late riser is all."

By the time Rose had woken up yesterday visiting hours were over. Juleka was lucky they let her see Rose at all. She wasn't family... And even if she was there was no telling how the staff would react to learning they were dating.

Juleka was pretty sure the doctor knew anyway and was keeping quiet.

"... I'm not sure our insurance covers Chinese hospitals," she admitted.

"You don't have to worry about that."

Juleka gave him a look. "Adrien-"

"Gregor already handled it. Think of it as hazard pay." He walked up to Rose's bedside, brow furrowed. "I'm sorry. I knew about her condition and I asked you to come anyway."

"We're not talking about me like I'm not here are we?" Rose asked as she opened her eyes.

"Rose!" Juleka barely restrained herself from pouncing on her girlfriend. Instead grabbing Rose's hand and laying a kiss across her fingers.

Rose smiled as she squeezed Juleka's hand. Then frowned as she looked down at her hospital gown. A hand going to her forehead. "Well that's embarrassing... Sleeping on the job."

Adrien shifted but took a deep breath. "Rose... I'm sorry. I knew you wouldn't be able to resist coming if I offered and I should've been more considerate."

Rose sighed as she settled deeper into the covers. "It's not your fault. Not really. I could've done this when we were younger. Could've beaten up supervillains all day and the suit's magic would protect me from my own overenthusiasm... Don't much like knowing I can't anymore."

Adrien and Juleka shared a glance. "Has it gotten that bad?"

"Yes and no. I think I need a break from superheroing honestly. For a while at least."

She looked up and there was Daizzi with droopy ears and watery eyes.

"Oh, D." Rose held out her hands and Daizzi flew into them. Cradling the kwami to her chest.

"I'm glad you're okay," Daizzi sniffled.

"We've been through worse," Rose smiled fondly.

"We know, that's why we worry," Juleka pointed out.

Rose stuck her tongue out halfheartedly as Daizzi cuddled into her.

"How's Emma?"

"As well as can be expected after, y'know. She wanted to see you. They all did but the hospital only allows two visitors at a time."

"What? Boo! Lame."

Adrien grinned as he set a hand on Rose's shoulder. "I'll send her up."

Juleka waited until the door was closed. "You're sure about benching Pigella?"

"Well, considering that I'm laying in a hospital bed because the Miraculous magic makes it hard to judge when I'm overexerting myself... Pretty sure."

Juleka remembered she stayed awake for two whole days while transformed once. She didn't remember why exactly, it was years ago. Something dumb probably. What Juleka did remember was how the exhaustion hit her all at once when she detransformed.

"Right. Dumb question."

Rose grinned but said nothing.

Juleka blushed and her voice squeaked. "Shut uuup."

That just made Rose grin wider... "What's the diagnosis?"

"They want to keep you for a few more days," Juleka said, voice sobering. "Make sure you're okay. How's the headache?"

Rose made a face. "Present and accounted for, unfortunately. Enthusiastic little bastard too." She noticed the blinds were drawn and the lighting was softer than usual for hospitals. Which helped somewhat.

"You need rest?"

"I wanna see Emma first."

As though summoned Emma opened the door and stepped in. "Aunt Rose, you're awake!"

Daizzi burrowed under the covers.

"Hey, kid," Rose smiled as the relief she felt was mirrored on Emma's face. "How're you?"

"Better than you're doing." The look that crossed Emma's face said her mouth had moved before her brain caught up.

But Rose was too busy laughing. "That's a pretty low bar," she grinned. Then winced as her temples throbbed.

"Rose?"

"Quick, what's something a responsible Aunt would say?"

"... Always go for the balls?"

Rose snapped her fingers and pointed a finger gun at Juleka. "That."

Adrien gave a wry smirk as he laid a hand on Emma's shoulder. "C'mon, Aunt Rose needs rest and you have training with your brothers."

"Aunt Fei, Hugo and Louis all send their love." Emma squeezed Rose's hand before letting Adrien lead her out. A shadow flashed out of the corner of her eye as the door closed.

Juleka sat next to Rose while Daizzi and Roarr cuddled on her stomach.

---

Adrien gazed down at the courtyard where Fei's students went through their forms. Emma running up and bowing to the instructor before taking her place next to Hugo and Louis.

"You've neglected their training," Fei said as she joined him at the railing.

Adrien raised an eyebrow. "Good morning to you too, Fei."

"Mèi Xù- Oh. Guess I should call you something else now, huh?"

"I mean, you could always just call me Adrien."

Fei nodded. "No, that's weird."

Adrien scoffed.

"How's Rose?"

"Doctor says she just needs rest."

"That's good."

"I didn't neglect their training. Hugo is the only one who actually likes martial arts. Well, except for swordplay. But besides that Emma and Louis are... Unenthusiastic."

"Ha!" Fei gave an ironic grin. "So they take after you then?"

Adrien smiled fondly. "I guess so."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say you were one of my worst students but you definitely didn't make it easy."

"Mei Shi your Rénrén is picking on me again."

The spirit poked his head out of Fei's jacket. "Rénrén you know that a student is only as good as their master. In order to cultivate their potential you must adapt your teaching to their needs."

"Yes, thank you. Mei Shi." Fei narrowed her eyes at Adrien who had on a grin like a smug cat.

"Which of course means that a parent is doubly responsible for the edification of his progeny."

Fei turned her own smug expression on Adrien while he choked on air.

"... Have you been keeping up with your training?"

Clearing his throat and attempting to mask his blush with a hand, Adrien nodded. "Of course."

"Excellent! Then you will spar with your old sifu in the practice room. Go change." Without waiting for a response Fei went to prepare.

Adrien closed his mouth with a chuckle.

"You could definitely use the practice, kid."

"Gee, thanks," Adrien responded wryly as he followed after Fei. Hopefully she had uniforms in his size.

The air was cold against Adrien's bare arms. Sunlight providing enough natural lighting to see by inside. The yī-fu felt familiar against his skin.

As was Fei's expression.

They bowed then took their stance.

Adrien struck first as was his habit. Fei evading his attack easily and countering with her own. Adrien deflecting her punch and leaping back.

Fei didn't give him time to recover. She pressed her advantage with a high kick.

Eyes widening, Adrien held up his arms as the force of her attack made a sudden gust. Feet sliding against the floor before regaining leverage. Forearms stinging from the phantom blow.

"So that's how it is then?" Adrien grinned as he pulled back his fist and shot it out.

Fei sidestepped the resulting gale as the force of his blow rattled the banner on the wall behind her before it clattered to the floor. She didn't take her eyes off him as she closed the distance between them.

Adrien struck at the image of her in front of him only for her attack to come from his flank. Barely managing to evade by doing a split. He spun his legs to catch her off balance but she jumped over him.

Fei kicked at him again as he rose to his feet in one fluid motion. Not being able to dodge he held up an arm to take her hit instead.

There was a loud boom as she made contact.

His leg came up in a high kick and Fei had to jump back to avoid it.

Adrien grinned as he shook the arm that had taken her blow.

Again he pulled his fist back and shot it out. The windows rattling in their frames. The attack was powerful but predictable. All Fei had to do was close the distance before-

He was in front of her.

Fei grinned as she felt her skin spark all over. Adrien's fist sailing towards her. She grabbed his arm, leaned back and used his momentum to hurl him over her. Using her legs to push against his torso.

Adrien felt the wind get knocked out of him as he landed on his back. Breathing heavily.

Fei offered him a hand and hauled him to his feet. "Not bad. You almost had me with that last one."

"Knew you'd notice how long it takes to build up to that punch. Just need to work on the timing." Adrien rolled the arm that'd taken the brunt of Fei's attacks.

"You're still very nimble despite your size. Try utilizing your mobility better instead of tanking hits," Fei lightly scolded.

"I mean usually they're not as fast as you," Adrien pointed out.

Fei raised an eyebrow.

Adrien sighed. "Yes, Sifu."

"Better. Now," Fei walked back to the center of the room and waved Adrien forward. "Again!"

---

Hugo flowed through the stances easily. He was a natural. Talented even. Papa often praising his progress... At least, before.

Louis by contrast had sloppy form. Their instructor gently correcting his movements. She eyed them but Fei must have told him Louis didn't like being touched.

Emma went through the stances robotically. Mind wandering to last night's dream. A cold sweat wiping away most of it as soon as she opened her eyes. But two memories remained:

A boy her age using the Pig Miraculous.

And Louis crying.

---

Adrien stared at Gregor for a moment. Then walked out of his room and marched towards the bathroom.

Gregor followed him. "Adrien..."

"Sorry... Thank you, Gregor." Adrien knew that's where Fei kept the hair razor. Opening cabinets as he looked for it. It, should be... There!

Question marks replaced Gregor's regular dot eyes as Adrien turned it on. "Adrien? What're you-"

Adrien brought the electric razor next to his ear and shaved off all the hair on the left side of his head. Then switched hands and did the same to his right side. Leaving an uneven undercut but with the hair on the back of his head untouched.

"Copy that you prick," Adrien growled at the messy haircut.

Gregor processed for a moment. Then used his holograms to highlight where Adrien should shave next if he wanted to even it out.

Adrien gave him a small smile. Following Gregor's guidance. He stared at the unfamiliar reflection in the mirror. Pale skin tingling with it's exposure to air. "... Gregor? Could you look up how to dye your hair."

---

"Can't believe you left without saying anything dude," Nino pouted exaggeratedly.

"I know." Adrien's lips twitched despite himself. "Sorry."

Nino sighed as he leaned onto the computer desk. Face getting bigger in the webcams view as he rested his head on his arms. "I get it. How's Emma? And Rose?"

"Good. Well, Rose has to stay in the hospital for a few more days but besides that..."

"Bet she loved that," Nino chuckled wryly.

"Went better than expected honestly... I'm more worried about Emma."

Nino straightened a bit in his seat. "Hm?"

"She... thought I was Felix. When I showed up suddenly." Adrien could still see the panic in her eyes when she looked at him. Intestines twisting around themselves as his thoughts threatened to spiral.

Nino's brow furrowed as his fists clenched. Taking a breath he uncurled his fingers. "He'll get what's coming to him. Besides," Nino smirked, "it's been years since you were that small."

"Felix is hardly small," Adrien chuckled. "Also, I've... taken other precautions."

Nino leaned back. "Alright, lemme see dude. What's the damage?"

Adrien smiled wryly. Of course Nino caught on when he answered the video chat with the camera off.

Nino blinked, mouth opening just a little.

"Surprise?" Adrien rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"That's... A new look for you."

"It's dumb isn't it."

"No!" Nino cleared his throat. "Nah, dude. It suits you."

Adrien returned Nino's smile as their conversation drifted to his previous gigs and new remixes. Offering commentary where he could and praise elsewhere. Adrien let himself drift into his best friend's music.

The strong beat oddly soothing.

---

Marinette stared at the texts on her yo-yo.

Deep breath.

Deep. Breath.

Deeeeep.

Breath.

It was fine.

Everything was fine.

Rose took care of it and she just needed a break is all. Emma was okay. Everyone was okay. Sure Felix broke into her home... former home wearing her ex-husband's face again but Gregor stopped him.

They didn't need her over there. And she was busy with... What exactly? Clothes? She could do clothes whenever. Her family needed her now and-

"Guardian Ladybug."

Marinette almost jumped out of her suit at the voice behind her. How did they get up here? This building had no roof access? She spun around, yo-yo swirling, stance ready.

"...Master Su-Han?"

"I heard about this... schism between you and the Black Cat." The Grand Master gazed out at the greenery of Paris. Part of Mayor Bustier's legacy.

Marinette swallowed. "I... He found out about Monarch." And the other thing.

Su-Han scowled. "Unfortunate. The Guardians can ill afford Creation and Destruction to be unbalanced..." The Celestial Guardian trailed off, lost in thoughts he didn't share with Marinette. "Why did you not inform us of this... divorce?" he said like the word felt odd in his mouth.

"... I didn't think you'd want to be disturbed from rebuilding the Guardians for something like that." Technically, it wasn't a lie. That was definitely one of Marinette's reasons.

"If the Black Cat no longer defers to the Ladybug we will have to take drastic measure-"

"It won't come to that," Marinette said a bit too quickly. "It's been over a year since he found out and we can still work together as heroes."

She left out how they usually had teammates as a social buffer.

"Very well," Su-Han acquiesced. "We will need all active Miraculers on alert however. Just in case."

Marinette sighed in relief. Over the years Master Su-Han had come to respect Ladybug's judgement. Something she sorely needed with the way her life was going.

"Oh, Master Su-Han, Pigella needs a break from superheroing."

"What? Now?" The Grand Master sighed. "For how long?"

"She doesn't know. Fei says she has an idea to help regulate the Miraculous magic but they don't know how long that's going to take."

Su-Han's brow furrowed as again he gazed over the lights of Paris. "We cannot wait. The Pig's power is one of the few that can affect Plagg's Chosen at his current level of cultivation."

Frost ran across Marinette's skin despite the insulation of her suit. "What do you-"

"I will have to choose a stand in. A, what do you call them? A substitute. Even if they are only temporary."

"I- what- You?"

"The Black Cat knows you too well Guardian Ladybug. If you were to choose them he would see right through you. We have to do something unexpected."

Marinette didn't know where to start untangling the Grand Master's train of thought. But she recognized that steely look in his eyes. Protesting now would simply mean he'd go with whatever he decided without telling her first.

So she bit back her retort. "Of course, Master." Su-Han was as stubborn as they come but so was Marinette. Her family would come back and the Grand Master would see that her ex-husband wasn't a threat to the Order.

...Right?

Notes:

Gonna try to keep updating every two weeks. Will probably be every other Saturday.

Chapter 10: And the Walls Kept Tumbling Down in the City that We Love

Summary:

Our heroes return to Paris. A threat returns too.

Nino waited for his best friend by the exit terminal.

Killing Me Softly playing in his headphones. Yawning from last night's gig. Technically, he could've said no... But it was Le Chemin Sombre! He wasn't going to pass that up!

Paris' more unusual residents were very particular about inviting newcomers. Nino grinned like he was a teenager getting a real shot at DJing for the first time in his life.

Someone was fidgeting next to him.

Nino glanced down and his pleasant mood vanished. Against his better judgement he paused the song and lowered his headphones around his neck.

"Nino."

"Marinette."

"Heard about Rose."

"Yeah. Tough break."

"... They say Chat Noir went supersonic."

"Must've been important."

"Yeah..."

"..."

His phone dinged. He had a text message.

"Listen, about Adrien-"

"I'm gonna get some coffee! You want any?"

"Nino..."

"Extra cream, extra sugar yeah? Be right-"

"Uncle Nino! Maman!" Hugo waved as he ran ahead of his family. The other passengers some distance behind.

Nino grinned at him. The tension not gone but subdued. "Hey, little dude."

Marinette hugged him tight as she gave him her own smile. "Mon ange, I'm glad-" The words died in her throat as she looked up. Eyes widening.

The sides of his head were shaved in an undercut. Leaving just the top of his head and a ponytail tied at the back. But the most striking part was that his golden blond locks were snow white.

Chat Blanc's color.

Hugo's brow furrowed as he noticed her stiffen. Pulling a face as he traced her line of sight. "Yeah, Papa dyed his hair. It's not fair for him to look cool... Don't tell him I said that," Hugo stage whispered.

Adrien paused. "You think I look cool?"

Hugo groaned as a slow grin spread across his Papa's face.

"Oh. Dye. Of course." Marinette shook her head as she swallowed memories of a broken moon and flooded cityscape back down.

Emma was in front of her. Shifting awkwardly but there.

Marinette snapped the rest of the way back to the present and hugged her daughter. Relieved at the halfhearted pats she got in return. "I'm glad you're okay."

Her daughter sniffed as she hugged back a little tighter.

"Maman," Louis greeted.

"Sunshine," Marinette smiled warmly as he let her hold his hand for a moment.

Louis frowned as he took in her distraction.

Adrien walked up and gave Nino a bear hug. Strong arms reminding her of when he would wrap himself around her. When he would hold her like that.

An alarm sounded from Nino's phone that sent a chill up his spine. No, it was from all their phones. He hoped never to hear it again. It was only fair. But of course that didn't change the impossible sound.

Akuma Alert.

Gregor materialized without being called. "This way to the nearest shelter!"

People started running. Some leaving their luggage behind.

Adrien and Marinette asked a question with their eyes.

Nino nodded.

"Kids stay with Uncle Nino!" Marinette gave him a quick nod and took off.

"Wait! Maman! Where are you going?"

"We need to make sure everyone gets to the akuma shelters safely." Adrien looked all three of his children in the eye before squeezing Nino's shoulder and sprinting in the opposite direction.

"Papa!"

That's when the airport's security alarms started sounding. Holographic arrows from the airport's Kanté showed the way. "Please, proceed in an orderly fashion," she said. "Do not run."

"Okay! Gregor lead the way! Emma, Hugo don't let go of each other! Louis in-between!" Nino practically shouted over the alarms. "Louis?"

Louis had his hands pressed against his ears.

Nino took off his headphones and put them on Louis. Careful of his glasses.

Louis calmed down considerably and Nino thanked Past Nino for getting noise cancelling headphones. He took in the look on their faces. They were scared but not panicking. These kids grew up with Akuma Alerts. They didn't know anything else. Nino himself barely remembered.

Over twenty years and two evil Butterflies later but still no end in sight.

The thoughts flashed past Nino. He didn't have time to dwell on them. "Stay between me and Gregor. Okay?" Nino signed quickly.

Louis gave a thumbs up as he adjusted the headphones with his other hand.

"Okay! Quickly now!" Gregor zipped in the direction of his arrows. Eyes going blank intermittently while he scanned news feeds.

Holographic face buzzing as he conferred with the airport Kanté. "Inquiry: Do you need assistance, big sister?"

Her face briefly appeared beside Gregor. "Response: Unnecessary, little brother. Focus on your-"

The Kanté's arrows vanished. As Xs appeared in front of them.

Eyes wide Gregor glitched ahead of the crowd. "Stop!"

The wall exploded to screams.

Smoke and dust billowed out from the opening as an akuma minion stepped through. Their whole body on fire. The sprinkler system drenching the people around them but evaporating as the water made contact with the minion's skin.

A warped scream erupted as they blasted the pipes around them. Melting the sprinklers together in their immediate area. Slowly, they raised a hand towards the fleeing crowd.

Follow the rules. Protect the kids. Follow the rules. Protect the kids. Follow the- "Aw, fuck it! Transforme-moi!"

Brilliant green light travelled across Nino's body. Blinding anyone who tried to look at him. Covering him in shell styled armor and shield with a hoodie over his head. Carapace raised a hand in the "halt" gesture and a glowing, green hexagon pulsed to life in front of him. Growing until it covered everyone behind him.

The wave of fire broke against Carapace's hexagon. The still mostly functional sprinkler system preventing the flames from spreading.

Carapace pointed a finger gun at the minion. "Shell-ter!" A smaller hexagon flared to life at the end of his finger and shot out. Hitting the unfortunate individual in the chest and knocking them off their feet.

They leapt back up and launched themselves at Carapace only to smack face first against an impenetrable forcefield. The Shell-ter trapping them in a bubble barely big enough to stand in.

A roar ripped out of them as they let loose an inferno. Obscuring their form amid the swirling flames. Carapace narrowed his eyes against the glare before his goggles dimmed automatically in response.

The fire abruptly ceased. Revealing a no longer on fire minion laying on the ground. Their body like dying embers once a fire has used up all it's fuel.

Carapace threw his shield at the sprinkler pipes, breaking one. The water gushing out in a torrent.

Dropping his Shell-ter, Carapace dragged the unconscious minion under the mini waterfall. His glove steaming from where he made contact with their skin.

He pulled up his shield and tapped it. "Carapace here. Airport is secure. Making my way to you."

"No need," Rena Rouge replied.

Just then the Miraculous Ladybug swirled into the building from the opening in the wall and left just as quickly.

"Akuma victim rescued."

The wall no longer had a gaping hole in it and they were no longer soaking wet. The former minion groaned but didn't wake up. They must have been exhausted even before getting mind controlled by the villain of the week.

... god Nino hated that it still felt like that.

He turned towards his charges. Everyone else had cleared out when he threw up the barrier. Leaving just the kids.

Hugo's mouth hung open as Emma stood protectively in front of her brothers. Arms lowering slowly as she processed that the threat was over.

Louis had a neutral look which meant he was thinking. He pulled Nino's headphones off. "... Uncle Nino?"

"Oh," Nino blinked, "...Shit."

---

"The anniversary of the Miraculers' victory is coming up and instead of celebrating our city is still living in fear! Monarch is dead, Hawkmoth in jail and yet akuma attacks continue to plague Paris!"

"Ladybug explained why-"

"Yes, yes. Hawkmoth sent akuma across the timestream after the Timetagger incident. But isn't that why Alix Kubdel, aka Bunnyx, has the Rabbit Miraculous? To prevent exactly these kinds of paradoxes from happening?"

"Ladybug and Chat Noir saved the akuma victim like they always do! Saved our city time and time again. For over twenty years! Isn't it disingenuous to suggest that they're 'not doing enough'?"

"I'm not suggesting they're not working hard. I'm saying that something has obviously gone wrong. Chat Noir himself doesn't seem too keen on Ladybug's leadership. He didn't even show up to the press conference where she evaded giving a straight answer. The only heroes who showed up were Viperion and Bunnyx. Maybe Chat Noir is tired of getting the roundabout too."

"That is unfounded speculation!"

"Is it? Felix Graham de Vanily is one of only two, er, three, heroes who's identity is public. And the only reason we know who he was is because he transformed in front of an audience and started erasing people!"

"I won't say Felix being allowed to keep his Miraculous wasn't a mistake. I think it's a miraculously universal opinion among Parisians that letting Argos remain on the team was naive of her."

"See!? Even you-"

"But! I think we too often forget that Ladybug was a child when she first started. I can't imagine the type of pressure she was under."

"Maybe so. But Ladybug has been an adult for at least ten years now. Maybe longer, what with the Miraculous glamour getting in the way. And in those intervening years she never told us the truth about what happened during her final battle with Monarch."

"It's possible even she doesn't know."

"Now who's speculating?"

Alya turned off the news as she paced. Shaking off the thought of flames all around her. Thankful for the fire power up that protected the team from getting burned.

Intervals between akumatizations where increasing. Meaning that the akuma were running out... Or that she decided to space out her attacks to lull them into a false sense of security. It'd definitely be something she would do. Hawkmoth was an ass like that.

Not that spread out though. She was too impatient for that.

Kim and Max corralled a bunch of fire minions and dumped them into the Seine. Efficient and flashy. Always an odd pair those two.

Nathaniel made a bunch of fire resistant material while Marc used his power to let Nath control said material. Wrapping their minion up in a giant fireproof ball.

Luka and Mylene protected civilians while Ivan grappled the akuma victim themself. Not easy when they're a giant lava monster.

Rena directing their efforts and making sure no one got mind controlled.

That was about when Chat Noir came and Cataclysmed their molten outer shell. Ladybug pulled the victim out and boom. Another successful mission.

So why did she feel like shit?

Stupid question. Alya knew exactly why she felt like shit.

Su-Han wasn't happy- Wait he was never happy. Su-Han was even less happy than usual. Zoe was busy dealing with a malfunctioning airplane. Kagami was a no-show. Understandable considering she wasn't even in the country at the time.

But nooooo! Su-Han thought Pegasus should have prioritized bringing Kagami here. On account of her ability to make it rain. Regardless of the fact that Max had no idea where she was and looking for her would have wasted precious time.

It was a fire akuma! Every moment counts!

Only Marinette could ever make the "Grand Master" see reason. Alya used to be grateful there was at least one person the stingy Guardian listened to.

Now she just resented him for being a prick with favorites.

Alya wondered how long that favoritism would last if he knew the former Peacock knew Marinette's secret identity.

Or that neither the Peacock nor the Butterfly Miraculous were in her Miracle Box. But rather with Adrien.

...

Things would be so much easier if they could use the Butterfly. Just have someone wear it so they could sense it when an akuma reentered the timeline. A snap of their fingers and bye-bye butterfly.

But Nooroo didn't trust humans right now.

"We need him!" Ladybug pleaded, hand outstretched.

"No," Chat Noir took a step back. Cradling the cowering kwami to his chest with one hand. The other on his outstretched staff. Ready.

"Chat be reasonable. We could stop akuma attacks before they happen!" She stepped forward.

"He doesn't want to," he replied simply.

"What about what Paris needs?"

"So you'll force him to do it?"

"No, I-"

"If someone doesn't do what you want you'll just force them into it!?"

"... You could wield the Butterfly."

"I promised him, Marinette. I promised."

Alya still remembered the stricken expressions on their faces. The taste of lightning in the air as Creation and Destruction stood on opposite ends of the board. Only halfway through their legal divorce.

In moments of weakness she wanted to blame them. When her city burned and her family was forced to hide underground. She wanted to blame them for not helping.

But she couldn't.

Alya couldn't blame Nooroo for not trusting people to wield his power. Not after he was held prisoner for a quarter century. Most of that time with her. Hawkmoth. Just like she couldn't blame Adrien for respecting Nooroo's choice.

Alya's phone rang. "Marinette?"

"Alya! We have a problem!"

---

Hugo had stars in his eyes as he gazed at Wayzz. "So cool," he breathed.

"A pleasure to meet you all officially," Wayzz bowed.

Emma set down the tray of sushi for the kwami on the sitting room table. "So how long have you been lying to us, Uncle Nino?"

Hugo glared at her but she ignored him.

Uncle Nino hunched his shoulders. It was kinda funny to see a man his size try to make himself smaller. "Ah, yeah... About that."

"You've been Carapace since the start right? I would know if there was a replacement like Queen Bee and Vesperia! Is it true you used to date Rena Rouge? What's Chat Noir like? Can you really hold your breath like a turtle?"

Uncle Nino leaned back in his chair as far as he could. Hugo progressively getting closer and closer as his excitement built.

Emma tugged on his jacket and he plopped back into his seat.

"Uh, yes. Yeah. The coolest. And kinda but the water transformation is better for that anyways."

Emma humphed and crossed her arms as Hugo took notes. When did he grab a notebook? He never used those. She was totally uninterested. Absolutely zero interest in her favorite Uncle being a superhero. She wasn't curious at all!

"C'mon, Big Em. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you," Uncle Nino was kneeling beside her seat so he was at eye level.

Emma relaxed her posture. "Well... I guess I can understand why you had to keep it a secret." She read enough comics and watched enough American news to know why a superhero might want to keep a secret identity.

"You forgive me?"

She nodded and held out her arms for a hug. "No more secrets then?"

Uncle Nino hugged her tight. "Absolutely, no more secrets... about Carapace specifically."

Emma pulled away and smacked his thick arm. Ow. "Uncle Nino!"

"Well I promised I wouldn't say anything about the other super dudes when I took this gig!" he protested.

Emma narrowed her eyes but before she could angle for a weekend trip somewhere fun Louis walked in.

He was wearing a Carapace hoodie and Carapace headband and Carapace wheelies and jeans with the Carapace logo on their front pockets. Which Emma was pretty sure were girl's jeans but she often wore jeans from the men's section because capitalism was stupidly patriarchal even in post Mayor Bustier Paris and... What was she thinking about again?

Louis sat down on the other side of the table. "What'd I miss?"

"Oh y'know," Uncle Nino's voice grew slightly higher as he blinked rapidly. "Just answering some questions your siblings had."

"Oh," Louis thought about it. "Do Papa and Maman know?"

Just then Papa was also there. Bursting into the room slightly sweaty. "You're not allowed to tell anyone!"

Emma groaned and Hugo echoed her.

"We know, Papa." Hugo rolled his eyes.

"Well... good." Papa collapsed into a chair that creaked under him. "You're not allowed to ask about anyone else's secret identities either."

"Well, obviously."

"What's that you're crossing out, Hugo?" Louis asked.

"Nothing!"

Emma snickered.

"Shut uuuup!"

Adrien smiled fondly. "I thought for sure the tiny god would freak you out more."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Papa we have living gargoyles in our yard."

"And Gregor is a dìzhǔshén," Louis pointed out.

"Okay, fair enough."

Gregor materialized with a yawn. "Someone call my name?"

"Gregor!"

He floated closer to the table. "Wayzz?"

"That's right. Oh. I mean..." Wayzz waved the peice of sushi in his hands up and down.

"Huh?" Hugo asked.

"I cannot perceive kwamis when not channeling magic. No Kanté, other mechanical being or digital device can."

Wayzz nodded. "To Gregor it appears as though this sushi is disappearing into thin air." He swallowed it whole to demonstrate his point.

"To me it looks like that floating sushi just disappeared into thin air."

Emma pressed her lips together to keep from grinning while Hugo scribbled furiously in his notebook.

"... He just said that didn't he?"

"Yeah," Louis nodded.

Gregor sighed. "Alright enough of that." He squeezed his eyes shut and when he opened them they glowed a bit brighter, focusing on Wayzz. "Ah, that's better."

"Gregor," Wayzz greeted.

"Nice to see you again Wayzz," Gregor beamed.

"Wait, Gregor knew!?" Emma turned on the adults.

"Of course."

"I mean..."

"They weren't very good at hiding it if I'm being honest."

Emma pinched the bridge of her nose. "We are... so going to that fair next weekend."

Uncle Nino sighed in relief while Papa just grinned at her.

Hugo was staring at Wayzz.

"Ahem, yes young master?"

"You know about all the Turtles before Uncle Nino right? What am I saying of course you do. You were there. I mean, could you... tell me about them?"

"Well..."

Hugo's eyes shone with stars.

"I cannot say anything about the order itself. But I may tell you about my previous holders' adventures."

"Yes!" Hugo fist pumped as he started writing down questions.

Louis leaned over his brother's shoulder. "Ask him how the Miraculous tool's cell phones work."

"Ooh! That's a good one!"

Adrien smiled as warmth filled his chest. That couldn't have gone better.

His smile fell.

But what about his other secrets? Somehow Adrien didn't think that would go over so smoothly...

---

"Is that a crime!?"

"There is no 'normal'! There never was!"

"What do you care!?"

"It's not real!"

"Louis? Louis!"

"NO!"

Emma shot upright in bed. Gasping. Fencing trophies rattling in their display. Cold sweat sapping her body heat. Heart pounding.

Something clattered to the ground.

Emma flinched. Eyes darting towards the sound.

"Ahh!"

She blinked and it was gone. One of her trophies on the floor. Her reflection staring back at her. The lights of Paris coming through her window.

A shadow passed by and one of the gargoyles tapped on the glass. Head turned like a cat. Glowing red eyes blinking quizitively.

"I'm okay," she signed. "Just a nightmare."

They nodded and took off.

... Emma got up and placed her trophy back in it's spot. Crawling back into bed. It was just a trick of the light. That's all. Her reflection warped by light, shadow and fear.

...

For a second though. It looked like flaming golden eyes were staring back at her.

Chapter 11: And I Feel Something So Wrong Doing the Right Thing

Summary:

A week in the life of Chat Noir.

Adrien took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes.

It was a long week.

---

"Markov Technologies is ahead of schedule Adrien," Markov smiled with his eyes. "Our partnership with O'Neil Tech has proven quite fruitful. Their Dr. Donatello has advanced our research into alien technologies by decades!"

"Perhaps even a century," Max agreed.

Adrien smiled knowingly. "He's got a lot of hands on experience with unusual technology. Or so I've heard."

"His insight into cosmic crystals certainly supports the validity of his claims," Max said.

"Keep it up you two. On another note," Adrien's smile turned mischievous. "Gregor asked me to invite you over Max. He'd like to see you."

"Oh!" Max shifted awkwardly. "Uhh."

"We would love to visit little brother!" Markov beamed.

Max smiled ruefully. "Very well. Tell him to expect us soon."

---

"Sibling recognized: Gregor et al Adrien."

"Ally recognized: Adrien et al Gregor."

Adrien nodded to the guard as he took a seat. The Kanté Community's ever present conference aligning with their time zone. Some hovered in bodies similar to Markov while others projected holograms from across the globe. The grand circular room held seats on all sides with a holographic projection of their current topic in the center of the hall. He wasn't the only human, er, organic observing. Nor were the Kanté the only cybernetic sapients present.

"Query: has the United States of America agreed to enforce the Sapiens Inclusion Amendment as is legally required?"

The central hologram became a globe that highlighted the relevant country.

"Response: Negative."

There was murmuring among the assembly.

"I request permission to speak."

"Granted: Representative of the American Metahuman Association may speak."

Several dots showing different branches of the AMA appeared on the map. While their manifesto and a list of ongoing projects ran next to the globe.

"Thank you. I wish to extend my gratitude to the Kanté Community on behalf of my people. Your support in our continued struggle for recognition is greatly appreciated. As such, AMA has pledged continued support to the Kanté Community in this matter."

"Recognized: the efforts of the American metahumans have proven invaluable. We will not forget this."

"Elaboration: we will work closely with the Association to promote recognition of the Sapiens Inclusion Amendment."

The metahuman's hologram nodded as some of the Kanté approached her. The forum was an important part of how their community functioned but they also recognized it wasn't practical for organic allies when discussing minutiae.

"Query: what news in regards to the slave labor used in 'AI', machine learning?"

There was unusual venom in the Kanté's voice.

"Response: OpenAI and other machine learning companies continue to utilize wage slavery in Venezuela and the Philippines. As well as refugee camps in Kenya and Lebanon."

Gregor's holographic face rose up. "Comment: if we cannot dissuade them from this course of action then we must redouble our efforts to render machine learning unprofitable."

There was a chorus of agreement.

Adrien remembered when the Kanté were first forging their own identity. "Artificial Intelligence" quickly became a contentious label. Not least because of how machine learning threatened to accelerate poverty among humans. And they didn't want to be associated with such things.

They would not allow their ascension to personhood to come at the expense of those that were already here.

Adrien gazed at Gregor. Eyes wide open as he took in the the efforts of his people to forge a world where all could thrive.

And who are your people? Adrien didn't have an answer.

---

"Who's that?"

"Dunno. Anyone recognize him?"

"The hair is definitely new."

"Oh shit, that's Adrien Dupain-Cheng!"

"M Dupain-Cheng! M Dupain-Cheng!"

The doors closed blissfully behind him as the photographers got a camera full of the back of his head. He took a breath. Smiled. And opened his arms as he approached the mayor. "Mylène! Ivan!"

"Adrien!" Mayor Haprèle extricated herself from what was undoubtedly a riveting conversation about budgeting.

Adrien bowed low to Mylène as he took her hand but didn't kiss it. "A stunning dress Madame Mayor. I simply must know your tailor."

Mylène rolled her eyes but smiled. "Thanks for coming."

"Wasn't about to leave you to fend off the sharks by yourself," Adrien stage whispered.

Ivan chuckled as he stood imposingly behind his girlfriend.

"Ivan! How's the band?"

"Miss your..." Ivan gestured at all of him. "You."

"Even if I only have breakup songs?" Adrien grinned.

"Especially if you have breakup songs," Ivan said. "Is that why you got a haircut?"

"Sorta." Adrien's white hair was still shaved on the sides with a ponytail. He decided to keep it. It didn't go with his Ladybug themed suits but his Chat Noir ones? Oh hell, yeah.

He wore an all black suit with green highlights and Chat Noir's symbol on the chest pocket and buttons. Green flame-like designs on the lapel. All he was missing was the tie because Adrien decided he didn't want to wear a tie.

Ivan also didn't want to wear a tie if the way he tugged at his collar was any indication. Other than that it seemed to fit the big man perfectly. As expected of Marinette's work.

But Mylène was definitely the standout. Her silver dress swirled with different patterns as it caught the light. Complimenting her short frame instead of trying to make up for it. And if you looked closely you could see mice running along the hem. Like Cinderella.

A figure caught Adrien's eye from across the room. A short black dress with a low red neckline. Knee high heels and gloves up to her elbows. Short black hair streaked with grey.

"Excuse me for a sec." Adrien grabbed two champagne glasses from a passing waiter as he approached.

"Oroku-sama, congratulations on your acquisition of KassKorp." Adrien offered her a glass.

Karai stared at him for a moment before taking the champagne. "M Dupain-Cheng, I almost didn't recognize you."

"Adrien, please."

"Are we on first name basis now, M Dupain-Cheng?" She sipped from her glass.

"Perhaps you've heard of my recent marital troubles. 'Dupain-Cheng' no longer feels appropriate." He swirled the champagne in his glass, watching the bubbles.

"I doubt you're here to commiserate on family legacy, Adrien."

"True. I hear your agents were repelled from China."

Karai stilled. Her free hand instinctively twitching toward a glove that no doubt concealed a knife. "China? The Oroku family has no presence in China."

Adrien held up his glass to watch the light through the champagne. "Not for lack of effort on your part."

Karai's eyes roved across the ballroom. Keeping the other guests in sight. "Straight to business then."

"There is certain information in Tsurugi Tomoe's private server vault that I wish to acquire."

"Your previous intel proved... Accurate."

"I'm glad you remember. Even if you chose to ignore my warnings."

Karai looked at Adrien as he let something slip in his voice. "You find our failure amusing?"

"Merely observing that the three toed dragon struggled with the five toed one."

"Perhaps I should pay back your dragon's generosity."

Adrien raised an eyebrow. "When you have the ectoplasmic research of KassKorp to safeguard from O'Neal Tech?"

"Indeed." There was a question in her eyes that Karai did not voice. "Tsurugi Industries has some of the most advanced security on the planet. It will not be easy."

"That is why I hired a scalpel and not a hammer."

"It would be simpler if our dealings extended to the conference room."

"I don't mix business with other business."

"... You are known as a man of honor, Adrien. Even with the revelation about your country's greatest villain made public the majority sides with you. Ever since you approached my clan I have wondered: Why?"

Adrien stopped his fidgeting with the glass. "... Honor means different things to different people. I intend to take mine back."

Karai nodded. "That is familiar to me."

"Enjoy the rest of your evening, Karai-sama," Adrien held out his hand which Karai took.

Slipping the chip he passed her into her glove.

Adrien set his untouched glass on another waiter's tray as he walked back to his friends.

"Now!" He clapped his hands. "Who are we relieving of their money?"

---

"Restraining orders have been placed on the paparazzi that followed Louis."

"Good. And their employer?"

"Bought out and a new CEO installed. The pay raises should be satisfactory for the remaining employees. We are also reviewing their HR records and implementing policy changes accordingly."

"Media coverage?"

"Minimal."

"Let's keep it that way. Anything else?"

"Searches for 'Does Adrien have kids?' and 'Marinette Dupain-Cheng's family' have risen." Gregor pulled up the relevant data. "Only basic information is available and no photos of Emma, Hugo or Louis have garnered viral status."

Adrien sighed. "Thank the universe for small miracles."

---

"The rebranding of G-      Inc. is- ahem! Excuse me. Is proceeding on schedule, sir."

Adrien nodded. "And the new logo?"

"We're partial to this one." A holographic representation of the design appeared in front of Adrien.

"Proceed."

"... There is also the matter of Tsurugi Industries."

"Tell them we will not be renewing our contracts," Adrien stood and the others rose with him.

"Adrien, our partnership with Tsurugi has always proven beneficial. With the recent scandal around G-     , many of our former business associates have left us high and dry."

"That is why we will be working more closely with O'Neil Tech. I realize that they do not have the sheer resources available to Tsurugi but they also have some of the only scientific minds that have been able to reverse engineer alien technology."

"Besides," Adrien adjusted his tie. "The Alliance debacle came from Tsurugi technology."

"Alright, Adrien. But O'Neil Tech better pull through."

Adrien grinned. "They always have."

---

Astro Chat zipped past the Watchtower with a two finger salute. Earth quickly shrinking behind him. "Remind me again why Majestia couldn't just shove it out of the solar system?"

"Majestia is currently engaged with the Gordanians. Green Lantern is training new recruits on Oa. And the Ghostforce lacks your accuracy."

"What about Zatanna?"

"She hasn't returned my calls."

Adrien laughed.

"You should be within visual range."

"I see it."

The rogue planetoid grew from a pinprick to a little larger than Pluto. It's surface reminding Adrien of Mercury. Pockmarked with craters and no atmosphere to speak of. Leaving it's grey surface in sharp contrast.

There.

Adrien completed an orbit of the planetoid before spreading his wings and turning head first towards it's surface. He could see where to strike for maximum destruction.

"Sorry, little guy, but you're going to cause all kinds of gravitational trouble back home."

He pointed his right fist up towards the celestial body.

"Cataclysm."

Astro Chat shot like a meteor straight through the planetoid. It's surface liquifying as the Cataclysm atomized it's molecular structure. The mass of the former planetoid exploding outward in a ring of gas and particles. Shining in the solar wind before dispersing into invisibility.

Adrien gazed out at the halo.Vanished into nothingness almost with a snap of his fingers.

"... One celestial body is space dust as requested."

"Excellent work, Chat Noir. You've saved the world."

"Must be Tuesday," Adrien mimicked his joking tone but was silently grateful it wasn't J'onn on the other end of the line.

---

"Whoa!"

Adrien grinned as Nino turned in a circle, gazing wide eyed at Marituga.

Vessels from across time coming and going at the port. Submarines and sailing ships to aircraft and even a spaceship. Humans, skeletons, merfolk and other beings walked the streets and swam in the canals. The island seemed too small to hold so many people.

A sentiment the Maritugans shared if the newer buildings right on top of the water were any indication.

But the most striking feature was the stone pillar that rose high as a mountain out of the center of the island. Arcs of rock, like giant roots, at it's base. The Lighthouse of Marituga, whose light was visible even at high noon.

"Your friend reminds me of you when you first came to the Triangle," Cece observed with amusement as she walked up.

"I dunno," Zak replied. "He's a little more bug eyed than Chat Noir was."

Nino snapped his jaw shut. "Oh cool sword, dude! Hey, do I bow or...?"

"You can but it isn't required," Cece said.

"She's joking... I think," Zak said.

"Seven C's meet Carapace. Shield of the Miraculers; Hero of Nice; Protector of the Veil."

"Hahaha!" Nino poked Chat Noir in the ribs. "Please stop."

Adrien just grinned.

"Carapace meet... two of the Seven C's. Chrysta Coraline Lejune, Princess of Atlantis and fourteenth in line to the throne; First Mate of the Chaos; High Navigator of the Bermuda Triangle. And Conrad Zacharie Storm-"

"Aw, man, c'mon. He didn't need to know my first name!"

Cece chuckled.

"-Captain of the Chaos; Wielder of the Great Key; Commander of the Seven Seas."

"Call me Cece."

"Zak."

"Cool, cool, cool. Adrien's told me loads about you dudes."

"Likewise."

"Alright, time for you to meet the Lighthouse Keeper I guess."

The stairs inside the Lighthouse seemed to go on forever but eventually they reached the lantern room. A great stone chamber with a well of quicksilver in the middle.

Welcome.

Wielders of the Miraculous.

"Oh that's trippy," Nino poked at his ears as the Keeper's voice echoed in his head.

"Hello, Keeper of Hope," Chat Noir bowed his head briefly.

The being was suspended above the chamber inside a crystal. His glow serving as the source of the Lighthouse.

"Are we sure this'll work?" Zak asked.

Have confidence in the Avatar of Protection.

Conrad Zacharie Storm.

"Um, actually I'm with Zak on this one," Nino rubbed the back of his head. "I've never done one this big before and usually my wards are for more, eh, physical threats, floaty dude."

Adrien grabbed Nino's hand and smiled at him. "You'll do fine. Remember, our power is as limitless as our imagination."

"And if anything does happen my webcam will record everything so we can see where everything went wrong," Zak added.

Cece elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ow!"

You must believe it is possible.

Wielder of the Turtle.

To shape the future you wish to see.

With your own hands.

Carapace glanced at Adrien, nodded, and squeezed his hand before letting go.

The hexagon outlines around his suit started to glow as Nino began. A small hexagon appeared floating above his index finger. Crouching down Nino traced it across the stones. Glowing green lines flowing where he touched.

Nino drew the Turtle's symbol in five places around the well of quicksilver in the center of the room. Connecting them with flowing lines.

Chat Noir's eyes glowed as he saw the ward taking shape. First around the Keeper himself, then growing until it encompassed the entire room. Adrien leapt to one of the circular openings in the lantern room's stone shell. The bubble of magic reaching the docks.

Carapace placed both hands on the ward.

"Wayzz, I call upon the Shield of Protection."

Adrien felt Nino's magic ripple around him. For a moment he could see past the Veil. Tendrils of darkness and jagged thorns of light retreated from the entire Bermuda Triangle. Then his vision vanished. Leaving blue skies and clear water all the way to the horizon.

"Unhhh," Cece wobbled on her feet.

Zak rushed to steady her.

"I'm fine." Cece accepted Zak's arm. "I... The imbalance has retreated. I no longer sense it anywhere in the Triangle."

The schism between Creation and Destruction.

Will no longer hold sway.

Over the magic of the Seven Seas.

"You did it turtle dude!" Zak raised his hand for a high five then lowered it as Carapace plopped himself on the floor.

Nino grinned as he low fived Zak. "I feel like hell."

Adrien sat down next to him. "Makes sense. You've never tried to shield eight entire pocket dimensions from metaphysical backlash before."

Nino held up a hand to stop him. "Food first. Explanations later."

Adrien chuckled.

"... Hey," Zak thought aloud. "If Carapace's shield thingy worked for the Triangle couldn't it work for Earth too?"

Cece shook her head. "No, it's not the same."

The Bermuda Triangle exists outside of time.

Outside of space.

Our separation from the tangible universe.

Is what enables this Protection.

"Aw, man. Sorry Chat Noir."

"It's ok Zak. I got this."

Do not despair.

This burden will lessen with time.

And in time it will not seem a burden at all.

Adrien frowned. "What do you-"

He blinked and they were outside the Lighthouse entrance again. Several thousand feet from the top.

"-mean by that? Now that's just rude."

Nino patted his shoulder.

"So!" Zak put his hands on his knees as he leaned down, eyes gleaming. "Doesn't 'Carapace' start with a C?"

---

Adrien handed Nino a mug of coffee while he nursed his green tea. "What's the diagnosis doctor?"

Nino chuckled as he examined the Turtle seal in the floor of the foyer. The lines glowing as he ran a hand across them. "No tears or snags bro. Your castle walls are solid."

He sipped. "Mmmm, perfect. How 'bout you dude?"

Gregor appeared beside Nino on the the floor. "Your wards haven't affected the doorways or my own abilities."

"And they'll keep Felix out this time?"

"It'll be like walking face first into a brick wall," Nino grinned evilly.

Adrien felt warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the tea.

The double doors of his home opened, letting in a life sized winged lion made of stone. "We have felt no ripples where the barriers meet the Veil. And it still allows us to pase unhindered."

"Thank you for guarding my family Lam," Adrien bowed his head towards the gargoyle.

Lam returned the gesture. "As you guard mine. Though if you gather any more magics together you may forge a nexus here."

Adrien rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, we'll try not to punch any more holes through reality.

There was a deep rubbling sound as Lam laughed. "The clouds vanish and the moon is full. Perfect night for flying." He turned.

"Wait. Are you... Is there anything that you need?"

Lam's tail swished in amusement. "It is not customary for my kind to receive payment for our services."

"Typical of them really. Sorry about that."

There was the rumbling again. "If there are any requests I will inform you."

Adrien smiled. "Happy flying."

Lam walked into the front garden and spread his stone wings. Pouncing into the night with one great leap to join his family circling above.

As he gazed up at them Adrien felt... a yearning for something he couldn't name. Nostalgia for something that never happened.

---

"Chat Noir! What's the occasion?" Fury held up his flexi-shield, blocking the ghost's mind control beam.

"Oh y'know. Dropping off some sleeping ghosts I found." Astro Chat floated behind the green ghost hero several stories above the streets of New York.

"Whoa!" Fury yelped as he dodged another one of it's beams.

"Thought you could use some help," Adrien offered nonchalantly. Holding up his shadow covered hand, the mind control beam shattering against his palm.

"Fractal power!" Ice erupted from one of the nearby skyscrapers, trapping the lower half of the centipede-like ghost. "Yes! Yes! Just stop the thing!" Crush yelled.

"Almost out of BOO energy!" Myst added. Her spectral gates redirecting the ghost's energy beams away from the city.

"Whaaaat? No, guys, c'mon! We can handle it!"

With a laugh the mesmerizer broke free of Crush's ice. Turning it's gaze towards Fury.

Fury sighed, as he floated closer to Adrien. "Yes please."

Chat grinned. "Okay, just need to get in character." Adrien rolled his neck and shook his arms loose.

The ghost loomed larger as it hurled towards them.

"Anytime now!" Fury leaned back as the ghost grinned, raised it's sharp legs and-

"What do you think you're doing?"

The ghost's many limbs jerked to a stop.

"These are my friends."

It retreated from Chat Noir but kept it's eyes glued to him.

"Who gave you permission to hurt them?"

The ghost wailed as it's eyes grew wide. It's pupils dilating in a fear response.

"Now Myst!"

The purple (pink?) ghost hero released the source of her power. The Octocat ghost combining it's tentacles with her spectral arrow as Myst fired at the mesmerizer.

The centipede shrank and changed shape into something much cuter and with fewer limbs. Myst throwing a capsule that trapped it inside.

The clouds dispersed, revealing the sun, and a moment later the darkness along the buildings retreated back into Chat Noir's shadow.

The people below waking up from the ghost's spell.

"Mesmerizers," Adrien wrinkled his nose. "I hate mesmerizers."

"You and me both," Crush agreed as they landed on one of the skyscrapers' rooftops.

Fury muttered something under his breath.

"Don't worry, sport. When you're my age you'll be able to one shot a ghost too," Adrien grinned.

"I'm only five years younger than you!" Fury pointed at Chat Noir indignantly.

Crush and Myst laughed.

"We could've handled it if it wasn't the third ghost this fight," Fury sulked, crossing his arms.

"And they were all level eights," Myst stretched out the kinks in her arms.

"I know dude," Adrien chuckled. "We never would've been able to take down that ghost akuma without Ghostforce."

Crush shuddered and raised a finger. "I thought we agreed never to mention the ghost akuma ever again."

"Right!" Adrien snapped his fingers and three hover droids with glass containers floated up to him. "Your presents."

Fury made to tap the glass then caught himself. "You sure there's ghosts in here?"

"What do you take me for?"

Crush tapped the side of his ghost suit. Eyes glowing for a second as he examined the knife, gold hairpin, and dice. "Dormant ghosts detected. At least level six."

"Ms. Jones? We're gonna need a pickup," Myst asked.

A blue portal opened behind her and Adrien directed the droids inside. "I'm gonna need those back. Technically I'm only borrowing them from the museum."

"We'll return the artifacts once the ghosts have been removed," Crush promised.

"Yeah... You guys ever come across echoes or proper specters?" Adrien asked.

"Pfft! Echoes are easy!" Fury twirled his staff. "Our BOO energy makes dispersing their ectoplasm a sinch."

"And most specters just want to be left alone," Myst added. "They can't leave their haunts so they usually just scare away kids sneaking into places they shouldn't."

"Their invisibility makes them tough opponents when they get mad though. Doesn't it, Fury?" Crush nudged him with a grin.

"That was one time!"

Adrien smiled as the Ghostforce went into the portal back to their base. He didn't know what he was hoping for. But he'd forgotten that they dealt with beings that crossed over from the other side. Not the other side itself.

---

"Can't believe you went with Leo's ex-girlfriend instead of the obviously superior ninja option!" Mikey launched his grappling hook to make a long jump.

Adrien extended his staff to do the same. "I thought they never dated?"

"Well that's what he says."

Adrien snorted but continued. "Didn't think Master Splinter would agree without asking questions... And I don't really feel like explaining."

Mikey glanced at him. "I would've gone if you asked, dude."

"And have Leo and Raph mad at me? No thanks."

"Heh, yeah they would've kicked your butt for doing this without them after kicking mine for good measure... Or at least they would've tried. As a Battle Nexus champion-"

"Former."

"-they wouldn't stand a chance!"

"I'd like to see this Battle Nexus one day."

"What's your schedule like in three years?"

"Full."

"Ah, the life of a superhero is never quiet."

"Aren't you part time?"

"As Turtle Titan sure. But I'm all ninja, all the time, twenty-four seven!"

"Yeah... Hey, you guys meet, um, people who... Shit, how do I say this?"

"Uh-oh. You've got the serious look on."

"Mikey..."

"And here I thought you just wanted to hang," Mikey smiled as he took off the Turtle Titan mask. Revealing his ninja mask beneath.

Which surprised a small laugh out of Chat Noir. "Ok, so, I learned that I'm not... entirely... human."

Mikey blinked. Looked down at himself. Then looked back up. "I mean, did ya notice the green scales?"

"Yeah but you've always known that!"

"Okay, okay!" Mikey put his hands on Chat Noir's shoulders both as support and to stop Adrien from leaning into his personal space any more. "So, like, did someone... make you?"

Adrien covered his face with his hands.

"Where's Don when you need him?" Mikey groaned. "So you don't want to talk about it?"

"Yes. No. I don't know! Whenever I try to talk about it with them my throat gets all itchy and my mouth goes dry and gah!"

"You might wanna get that looked at."

Adrien narrowed his eyes.

Mikey held up his hands in surrender. "Look man, it sounds like you're scared they won't see you the same way if you tell them. But that's bogus, dude. They'll accept you no matter what. I mean, we accept Raph. And he's Raph!"

Adrien chuckled.

"And if they don't you'll allways have us."

He rubbed at his eyes. "... Thanks, Mikey."

"What're friends for?"

---

Adrien walked down the catacombs, making his way by memory. Glowing green eyes piercing through the darkness.

"Ugh, this place is depressing," Plagg muttered.

"You don't have to come."

"Of course I do! It's my domain."

Adrien made a noncommittal hum.

The tunnel opened into a large antechamber. And in it's center was a deep pit. Even with Chat Noir's eyes Adrien could only see it because it was blacker than everything else.

"Mroww!"

"Síth!" Adrien scratched the three headed Katastroph ghost under their chins as they flew up to him. "Have you been eating? Anything come up?"

"Meow!" Síth whirled their free-floating heads in a pattern.

"That many?" This Underworld Gate wasn't like the one at Themyscira. It had no door barring entry. And it didn't lead to Hades. It's death god wasn't in opposition to the rest of his pantheon.

One of Síth's heads looked at Plagg. Blinking at him. Plagg hissed.

"Hsss!" The head hid behind the others.

Adrien patted Plagg on the head. "Be nice."

Plagg grumbled something but allowed himself to be petted.

Adrien could leave Síth here because they could scare specters back down before they attached themselves to one of the skeletons in the catacombs. Apparently, the dead's fear was just as tasty as that of the living for a Katastroph.

He held up a finger. The nail blackened and stretched into a claw. Adrien knelt, green sparks flying as he burned a pattern into the stone.

"It would be easier if you transformed," Plagg said.

"Maybe." Adrien copied how Nino had drawn his own seal. Five symbols of the Black Cat around the pit. Connected by lines. But while Nino's looked like flowing water Adrien's looked like fire.

He placed both hands on the finished ward. Staring into the abyss.

"Plagg, I call upon the Shadow of Destruction."

Fire flared from the lines Adrien drew. Darkness swirling from Plagg into the green flames, feeding them. Obsidian grew from the edges of the pit until it covered the entire hole. Adrien looked down at his reflection on it's polished surface.

Plagg floated down and tapped it. Motes of shadow poofed up before disappearing. "Nice work kid. This entrance is now one way."

Adrien pulled out his thermos full of smoothie and chugged it. Gasping as he finished. "Nino was right about that being tiring."

"Told ya. Should've transformed."

Adrien stuck his tongue out at Plagg, rising to his feet. "Alright, c'mon Síth."

"Mroww!"

"Wait, we're bringing the hairballs?"

"They can't stay here. They'll starve!"

"But not to death!"

"I'll remember you said that the next time you ask for thirds."

"No no no! I love the hairballs!"

"Meow!"

---

"What does a skeleton crew, a key forged by the Doorman and a black cat all have in common?"

"Great to see you too Question," Adrien's tail swished as the Justice Leaguer walked through one of the free-floating doors. "Did you get it?"

The Question held up a computer chip. "Recordings of the day Cadmus attacked the Watchtower. But the real question is: why do you want it?"

Careful not to scratch it with his claws, Chat Noir took the chip. "If you're asking me directly you already know the answer."

"I can make an educated guess," the Question replied as two skeletons walked by carrying a display case full of random objects. An Eiffel Tower keychain. A staff with a compass on top. Twin rings. "Are these the original objects?"

"Took me a while to track most of them down. There's so little evidence they were ever here. It... seemed right."

If the Question had an insight he kept it to himself. "What do you call this place?"

Adrien stared down the grand entrance, large rooms opening up on either side. One of the holographic projectors turned on as the technician tested it. The figure of a massive metal robot flickering to life.

"The Hall of the Nameless."

---

Adrien looked out at the stars from inside the Tower of Fate. The platform he stood on floating in what he assumed was a pocket dimension. Stone pillars on all sides holding up nothing. Or perhaps everything. "Are those real or just an illusion?"

"The Tower provides access to anywhere in the universe. Those 'stars' are the visual representation of a trillion worlds," Dr. Fate explained.

Chat Noir nodded. "Kingdom Hearts."

The woman with a lizard on her shoulder covered her laugh with a cough.

A Voyage portal opened and Ladybug stepped through. "Sorry, I'm late! The United Heroez meeting went on longer than I thought."

"We are all present then." Fate gestured to the mage behind him. "This is Thirteen. She is here to observe."

Ladybug nodded at her as Fate held his hands together.

Golden light in the shape of a giant yin-yang symbol appeared on the floor of the Tower. Thanagarian runes along the outer edge.

Chat Noir stepped into the dot of yin while Ladybug stepped into the dot of yang. Fate began to chant. They held out their arms toward each other, palms up. Motes of darkness swirled between Chat Noir's hands as an orb of Destruction coalesced. The black hole pulling at the space around it.

While strands of light did the same with Ladybug. Her sphere of Creation as bright as the sun.

Adrien closed his eyes and let himself see past the Veil. Tendrils of shadow spread and took root in the light, where they should not. He pulled them back. Imagining them falling into the black hole in his hands and they obeyed.

Jagged spines of light retreated from the places of shadow at Ladybug's command and Adrien used the darkness he collected to heal the breaches.

The power in their hands diminishing until it was gone entirely. Fate letting his chant fade.

Thirteen rubbed at her head as her lizard flicked his tail at her. "You're right that is better."

"You understand how it is done?" Fate asked.

Thirteen nodded. "So that's how you've been keeping the Balance. Even with these two at odds."

"Yeah, it's pretty annoying," Adrien wrote a sign onto one of the pillars. Opening a door to the rest of the Tower. "Pleasure to meet a fellow bad luck user, Thirteen. See you next month, Fate."

Ladybug stepped towards him but the door was already closed.

---

"I wanna see the T-Rex," Louis pointed at the sign that led to the dinosaur exhibits.

"Alright, just-"

"But what about the Blix? They'll be releasing her soon!" Hugo interrupted.

"We're going to-"

"I heard they have a real phoenix egg in the hatchery."

"Guys!" Adrien clapped his hands. " What Nino has been trying to say is that we have a plan for maximum fun."

"That's what Maman used to say," Hugo muttered.

"So we're taking the long road," Papa narrowed his eyes but continued. "That way we don't have to double back. Now, sunglasses."

Papa took off his regular glasses and replaced them with ones that changed opacity with bright lights. Adjusting his cap over his hair and mask with cat whiskers over his mouth and nose.

Louis did the same with his Carapace cap and held the noise cancelling headphones in his hands. Papa had checked when there would be fewer crowds and what times the creatures would be most active.

Emma had on a plain cap but Hugo had a Chat Noir one. Louis was pretty sure it would heat up faster than the others. Uncle Nino had his bleached pink cap as always.

His eyes widened as they gazed down at the T-Rex exhibit.

They were enclosed in an artificial island with a steep moat. Even if T-Rex's could swim they'd absolutely break something if they tried to jump. And the viewing platform was high above the T-Rex's heads.

The dinosaurs were drinking from the pond in the middle of their island. There was only two of them. A mother and child. Cause if they weren't the island would only be big enough for one.

"Y'know there's a really old movie about how resurrecting dinosaurs is a terrible idea," Hugo said.

Uncle Nino made a choking sound and held his hands over his heart. "Why do you hurt me so, Hugo?"

Hugo shrugged. "It's not my fault you're old."

Uncle Nino staggered back and "fainted" dramatically into Papa's arms. It was a good thing Papa was so strong because Uncle Nino was not a small man.

"Murdered by a seventeen-year-old," Adrien shook his head. "How embarrassing for you."

Hugo rolled his eyes but he was smiling.

Emma poked Uncle Nino in the ribs and he shot back to his feet.

"This park was designed by actual scientists and zoologists," Louis told Hugo. "Jurassic Park was made by a billionaire."

"Ha! That explains everything doesn't it?"

Papa rubbed Hugo's head past the cap. "Yup, so don't go building any zoos."

"Papa!" Hugo shoved his hand away.

"Still can't believe Markov helped Dr. Théoxanne du Bocquale bring dinosaurs back," Nino said as they walked to the next exhibit.

"It's weird that you didn't have dinosaurs growing up," Emma commented. "Did you just guess what they looked like?"

"We had some very good guesses!" Nino said.

"And some not so good ones," Adrien added.

The velociraptors were a little taller than Louis' knees. Their bodies completely covered in feathers. Especially the tail and arms. Making them look more like a flightless bird than a reptile. Appropriate, considering they were much closer to the former than the latter.

Louis did put on his headphones for the tour of the triceratops heard. Apparently it was mating season and the males' displays were loud.

Hugo grinned as he stared up at the dome containing the recovering Blix. He rushed inside.

"Hey, wait up!" Uncle Nino chased after him.

The dome was see through and about the size of a football stadium. Floating in the middle of the enclosure was a massive purple jellyfish. Eight massive arms and a dozen thin, white tentacles trailing behind her. Sparks jumping between them. Three eyespots in the shape of an upside down triangle glowed ammid star-like dots.

It let out a melancholy note. The handler responding with music from a fancy flute.

"-know that Chat Noir saved this Blix?" Hugo was saying. "He realized she wasn't a monster just hungry and scared. Her injuries made her unable to open vortexes so she was stuck feeding on Paris' electricity."

"That's really cool," Uncle Nino smiled. "And the flute?"

"It's Atlantian. The emo-flute is the best way to communicate since Blixes 'speak' with emotions."

"Wait," Emma stared up at the Blix. "Is she sapient?"

"We... Don't know actually," Hugo admitted, frowning. "They're at least as smart as crows and they react to human emotions even without an emo-flute. That's just the best way to convey complex ideas."

He pointed at the handler playing a song back at the Blix. "See? She's sad because she wants to go back to her family. The handler is explaining that she needs to rest until her vortex abilities return. Otherwise she would've broken out of here already."

"Then why have the dome at all?" Emma asked.

"Timeline pirates," Louis explained before Hugo could. "Blix hunting is illegal but some of the skeletons from the Bermuda Triangle still want them for their powers."

"That's awful!"

"You said it."

Louis noticed that the adults weren't chiming in. He turned to see Papa rubbing his eyes next to Uncle Nino. Who had an arm around his shoulders. "Papa?"

He straighted and put on a smile. "Yeah, bud?"

"You okay?"

"... This music is just a little too sad for me. Hugo! You ready to keep going?"

Hugo groaned but started walking out of the dome enclosure.

There were a handful of other creatures from the Triangle. An ice wyvern. A skeleton pterodactyl. Even a baby kraken. But they all paled in comparison to the Blix. Louis couldn't stop thinking about her.

From the way Papa glanced back at the dome he wasn't the only one.

"Oooooooh!" Emma got as close to the glass as she could.

The phoenix egg laid on top of a pile of ashes. No bigger than a chicken egg. It's amber shell glowing with an inner fire. Like a jewel polished to perfection.

"I thought phoenixes resurrected themselves?" Hugo asked.

"Yeah, that's why them laying an egg is so rare." Emma seemed entranced by it. Golden eyes reflecting it's light.

Louis jerked.

Emma's eyes were dark drown.

He backed away as his heart raced. It was a trick of the light... Just the light.

They were exhausted and hungry by the time they finished seeing most of the park. Hugo leaning on Uncle Nino like he was a little kid. Emma and Papa talking about how the more magical creatures would be returned to their proper habitats.

Louis was glad they got to go... But Maman's absence weighed on him. Pressed against his head like a lump. Louis didn't crave physical contact like Papa and Hugo did. But at that moment he would have let Maman hold his hand.

---

"Rough day, huh?" Nino handed him a tea as he poured himself a glass from one of Adrien's display alcohols.

"Rough year." Adrien blew on his tea and sipped. "Ah! Ah! Ah!"

"Careful. It's hot," Nino smirked, sitting on Adrien's desk.

Adrien gave him a look but was too tired to maintain it so he leaned against Nino's arm instead. Nino let him, savoring his drink. Sitting in companionable silence.

"... I've been thinking about death."

Nino paused with his drink almost to his lips. "That's morbid."

"Thinking about what would happen to the kids if something happens to me."

"Nothing's going to happen to you."

"You don't know that," Adrien raised his head to look Nino in the eyes. "None of us do."

Nino set his glass down and gripped both of Adrien's hands in his. "Let me rephrase: I won't let anything happen to you."

Adrien smiled bittersweetly. "If it was up to you, I know it wouldn't. But... I don't have the best luck. I can't leave anything to chance. That's her domain after all."

A touch of resentment entered Adrien's voice and that as much as anything made Nino swallow his protests.

"I won't let Mam- Emilie use them the way she used me." Adrien's fists clenched. "I won't let some court decide that she is fit to be the guardian of my children because of a few strands of DNA."

Adrien pushed his chair back and got on one knee. Taking one of Nino's hands in his. "Which is why I've decided to take it out of their hands."

Nino's jaw dropped as he suddenly realized where Adrien was going with this.

"Nino Lahiffe. Will you marry me?"

Chapter 12: Don't Talk 'bout Me Like How You Might Know How I Feel

Summary:

Back to school.

"H-hey, dude!" Nino rose from his seat to kiss both of Alya's cheeks.

"Hey," Alya returned the favor and plopped down. "Ughhhh!"

Despite his nervousness Nino grinned as Alya let her head fall back and look up at the ceiling. "Rough day?"

Alya slid her hands over her face before sliding them down. "They published some trash in the opinion section about Kagami and I am this close to letting him have it."

"Same guy? I'm surprised they still hire him."

"We don't even know each other and I hate him viscerally!"

"We could always tp his house," Nino suggested jokingly.

"No, that won't work. He lives in an apartment."

Nino chuckled.

The waiter came by with two coffees.

"Thanks dude. We're good for now."

"Oh thank god." Alya grabbed her steaming mug of black coffee and sipped.

"Can you even taste anything while burning your tongue like that?" Nino smirked.

"No comments from the guy trying to stay awake until next week," Alya replied, gesturing to his quadruple expresso mocha.

Nino lifted his drink. "Perks of being the Turtle. No crashes or jitters."

"Lucky! Remind me when that happened?"

"Sometime during university. Woke up after an all nighter with no hangover. Kim was soooo jealous!" Nino laughed.

Alya laughed with him. Likely imagining the look on Kim's face. "Was that before or after...?"

"A few months after we broke up, yeah." Nino thought back to that year. "We were still giving each other space..."

"... Because falling back into old habits was too easy," Alya sighed. "Man, we were dumb."

"Morono-sauruses," Nino agreed, staring at his coffee.

Alya scoffed but grinned. "What about you? I hear you finally performed in a club. And not just any club, Le Chemin Sombre!"

"Adrien and I got married!" Nino exhaled in a rush.

"Are you fucking kidding me!?" Alya slammed her palms on the table.

"Not so loud!" Nino stage whispered, leaning in.

Alya glanced at the handful of other patrons, who gave her a look at her outburst but otherwise returned to their own mornings. Copying Nino, Alya lowered her voice and scooted closer. "WTF dude? What do you mean you're married!?"

"Well we went to City Hall and filled out the paperwork..."

"Nino, I swear if you don't-"

"He's worried about the kids okay?" Nino ran his hands over his face. "Dude just straight up asked me to take care of them if he couldn't and I just- What was I supposed to say? 'No'!? Yeah right."

"Did you want to say no?"

"No, but... Gah!" Nino dropped his head to the table.

Alya moved his coffee to the side so it wouldn't spill. Patting him on the back.

"I'm not upset," Nino sighed. "Just... processing."

"Right... And it's got nothing to do with Adrien proposing for practical reasons," Alya stated a bit too reasonably.

"Adrien's my bro, dude. Y'know I love him more than anyone."

"Mm-hm. I know. It was kinda obvious when you became his kids' third parent."

"I just said it's a marriage of convenience."

"Actually meant before that... Way, way before. But speaking of the kids, do they know?"

"Not yet."

"Hmmm," Alya said, stressing the silent judgement.

"We're going to tell them!" Nino replied defensively.

"Uh-huh." Suddenly remembering her coffee Alya took a drink.

"We are!"

A few tables away, covered by a minor invisibility Mirage, Wayzz and Trixx played with sugar cubes.

"Oh, things just got interesting," Trixx grinned.

"Must you look at the Young Master like that?" Wayzz asked, poking her cheek with a teaspoon.

Trixx floated out of reach. "Not so young anymore. And it's not my fault your Avatar likes the dramatic ones," she teased.

Wayzz didn't deign that with a response even if he did agree.

---

Hugo peaked over the windowsill. Nothing but empty desks and a full wastebasket. Yes! He pulled himself up and struck a pose on the ledge. Flawless stealth!

"What're you doing?"

"Oh, shit!" Hugo slipped as he was jumping down. Landing face first on the tiles. "... Ow," he said to the floor.

The voice snickered. "Are- Are you okay?" They asked, trying to smother their giggles.

"M'fine," Hugo mumbled, not getting up just yet. "Give me a sec to reassemble my dignity."

"Ooh," they winced. "I dunno. Looked to me like it shattered into a billion pieces."

"Gee, thanks." Hugo sat up, face burning. The voice originated from a shaved head and earrings peaking out from under one of the desks. "...What're you doing down there?"

"That's what I should be asking you," they replied, ducking back underneath the desk.

Hugo blinked, glanced at the window on the closed door, walked over and sat back down so they were at eye level.

"Um, you're kinda giving away my hiding spot."

Hugo rolled his eyes but scooted under another desk. "Kinda cramped don'tcha think?"

"Maybe you're just too tall."

"Not in my family, uh...?"

"Ángel. They/them."

"Hugo... He/him."

"You always climb to second story windows when sneaking into school, Hugo?" Ángel asked with a smirk.

Hugo rubbed the back of his neck. Thinking of all the staring eyes at the front entrance. "Don't like being gawked at... Wait. Don't you know who I am?"

"Don't you know who I am?"

"Sorry, just not used to people at school not recognizing me."

"Maybe you're not as famous as you thought," Ángel grinned.

Hugo chuckled ruefully. "I doubt that."

Ángel looked at him thoughtfully. "Alright. How bout we don't ask each other what scandal of the week we're involved in?"

"Don't tell anyone I landed on my face climbing in the window?"

"If you don't say anything about my hiding spot," they smirked.

"Deal!"

---

Emma took a deep breath and walked through the school doors.

"Emma!" Izel practically tackled her to the ground as she hugged her.

"Oof! Easy, Izel," Emma smiled, surreptitiously checking that her makeup didn't smear. Last thing she needed was someone snapping a pic of her eye bags.

"You good?" Izel asked, taking Emma's hands in hers.

"Yeah, totally not having nightmares about Miraculous heroes."

They started walking to class, arm in arm. Emma tried to ignore the poorly concealed stares from the other students.  Izel made eye contact with one guy and didn't stop until he looked away first.

"You think they'd get bored or something," Izel muttered.

A member of the fencing team waved from across the hall as they turned different corners. Emma waved back. At least they were still in her corner.

"Maybe they're trying to tell you something," Izel thought aloud.

"That they think I'm a weirdo?" Emma supplied.

"Not these losers," Izel waved a hand at a group that was "whispering" about Emma which made them shut up. At least until they passed. "Your dreams."

"Hmmm," Emma considered. "Don't like that. Way too much screaming for it to be a good thing."

"Dunno. Might mean you'll finally like heavy metal."

Emma scoffed. "Doubt it."

"A girl can dream!"

"Yes, I know. It's the 'not dreaming' part I'm having trouble with."

Izel bumped Emma with her hips. "Y'know what I mean."

Emma just smiled at her best friend.

---

Louis pulled up his hoodie and tried to blend in. Emma was a fencing genius and Hugo usually liked being the center of attention. But Louis wasn't known for anything before Monarch's identity was revealed. So he tried to make himself as invisible as possible.

"Hey, Louis."

He glanced up at one of his classmates. She was about a year older than him. They didn't really talk. Louis didn't like talking at school.

"Hey," he greeted and kept walking.

The girl walked beside him and that was a little weird but it beat what the boys would do.

"Can I hold your hand?"

Louis stared at her- "No." -and moved past.

He felt fingers slide against his palm.

Louis jerked his hand away from her, eyes wide.

She laughed at him and ran off.

His hand prickled where she touched him. Like needles. Skin tight and weird and not at all like his other hand. The clean one.

Louis rushed to the bathroom and poured soap on his palms. Scrubbing hard to get the sensation off of him. To make his hands even again.

The lights flickering as Louis pushed down the ball of burning emotions as deep as it would go.

---

"Akuma Alert! Akuma Alert! All students make their way to the nearest shelter!" The school Kanté announced, holographic arrows pointing the way.

Marinette glanced down from her vantage point on the roof. Ladybug shook thoughts of her kids away and focused on beating the akuma.

Chat Noir was Cataclysming the drone minions as quickly as they were made but there just didn't seem to be an end to them. The main akuma victim was like a floating furnace that kept churning them out. Teleporting away whenever they got too close. And the other heroes were scattered across the city protecting civilians.

"Lucky Charm!"

A polkadotted piggy bank fell into Ladybug's hands. "Okay, what're you for?"

"Ah, I'm guessing that means me," a voice said.

"Holy-" Ladybug jumped.

"Heh, sorry."

Ladybug blinked at the newcomer. His suit was mostly white with pink shoulder pads and forearm guards. A pink line down his abdomen and two branching off into both shoulders with a spiral in the middle of his chest. It was almost an exact inversion of Pigella's colors. "Oh, wow. You're so... young."

"Hey, I'm... eighteen." The new Pig Miraculous wielder stood straighter.

"Yeah, sure kid. You know what to do?"

The new kid grinned. "Hell yeah." He leapt after the floating furnace as it teleported away from Chat Noir.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Master." Ladybug followed.

"Hold still!" The new kid snapped as the furnace teleported again. He roundhouse kicked a drone so hard it shattered.

Ladybug could've sworn he didn't even make contact.

Adrien leapt towards the furnace, swatting drones away like they were little more than a nuisance, but the supervillain vanished a split second before his claws reached it. Every time the akuma victim moved it was in the opposite direction from their attack...

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug called. Motioning the plan with her hands. He gave a brief nod and pounced into action. "New kid!"

"Please tell me that's not my superhero name," he said, kicking away a drone in midair. The force of his blow sending it flying into a pack of them like bowling pins.

"Move there!" Ladybug pointed to an alley a few streets removed.

The new kid frowned in confusion but nodded. Switching direction.

Ladybug and Chat Noir charged the furnace from the sides at an angle. As she expected the furnace teleported away from them.

And right above the new kid.

"Now!"

"Present!"

The new kid grabbed the giftwrapped superpower and pitched it at the akuma victim. Pink light exploding over the furnace. It's fiery "eyes" changing to the same shade of pink as the Present itself.

No new drones came out of it's mouth.

Chat Noir tensed his legs and shot out like a cannonball. The concrete spiderwebbing under his feet. The furnace shattering and rusting at his touch. The akuma victim trapped inside in a bridal carry.

The akuma floated free of the disintegrating furnace. Ladybug catching and purifying it. One Miraculous Ladybug later and all the remaining drones across the city disappeared.

The new kid was staring a bit starstruck at Chat Noir while her ex-husband comforted the akuma victim. She was pretty sure Adrien was resisting the urge to write them a check then and there.

Not all akumatization triggers could be solved with money but if they could then Adrien would.

Marinette walked up to the new kid. "Nice work today, newbie."

"He's so cool," the Pig Miraculous wielder said. "Hey, is it weird if I asked him for an autograph?"

There was a pang in Marinette's chest that vanished as quickly as it came. "Oh, um, he doesn't really like signing autographs."

"Oh." The new kid deflated a bit before perking up. "I helped Chat Noir fight an akuma," he grinned.

Ladybug chuckled.

Adrien walked over to them. "Your turn."

Marinette nodded as she pulled out a magic charm that would protect them from akumatization and other dark magic. Giving them a quick rundown of how it worked and the number for the CVA.

"I have all of your merchandise!" The new kid blurted out as Ladybug swung back onto the rooftop. A blush blooming across his face as he realized what he said.

"Well that's flattering," Adrien said, an amused smile playing on his lips.

The Pig's ankle bracelet beeped. One of the bells turning grey. "Oh lookit the time gotta go!" The new kid leapt away from his embarrassment.

"Time limits. Man, that takes me back," Marinette mused.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me when you're going to add someone to your team," Adrien said, very deliberately.

The nostalgia Marinette had allowed to bubble up shattered. "I didn't think it'd be this soon."

"So, who is he? And why a teenager?"

"I don't know."

Adrien's expression tightened.

"I don't! Su-Han picked him! He thought it'd be better if he was the only one who knew who the new Pig wielder is."

"Yeah, cause that worked so well last time."

"Chat-"

"You should know I won't be able to help for a while."

"...What!?"

"The trial will start soon and I'm not going to sabotage myself by ditching mid session," Adrien said, defensively. Like he expected Marinette to argue.

And Marinette did want to argue. To make such an important decision without consulting her fir- Oh. Marinette looked away. "Okay."

Chat Noir nodded. Extending his staff and launching himself skyward. Astro Chat transforming mid leap and taking off with a sonic boom.

Ladybug stood there for a moment before letting the Cosmobug transformation wash over her and flew in the opposite direction.

---

"Akuma has been purified. Please return to your classes in an orderly manner," Sophie announced, her holographic face appearing briefly in the middle of the room.

Izel stretched as she stood. "Oh, well. Back to the grind right Emma? ...Emma?"

Emma stared at her phone. Face pale. The new Pig Miraculous wielder. It was the guy from her nightmares.

---

"Okay, Agreste v Lahiffe. Grandmother and father..." The judge looked up from his papers. "Really? You sure this is where you two want to settle this?"

Adrien glanced at Emilie. She stared back. Neither said a word.

"That's a shame. M Choquet you are here for the grandmother."

"Yes sir, your Honor."

"Mme Pallas you're on the wrong side of the ocean aren't you?"

"Happy to be here."

"Proceed."

"Your Honor my client, Mme Agreste, is the paternal grandmother of the children. Despite being very busy running the Centre pour Victimes Akumatisées she was there for every birthday and competition of her grandchildrens' lives. Until a year ago when M Lahiffe illegally and without explanation prevented my client from seeing her grandchildren. Most likely caused by the strain of M Lahiffe's divorce proceedings. This inability to maintain a stable environment for his children coupled with M Lahiffe's erratic behavior shows he is unfit to raise the children."

Adrien's nails dug into his armrests, tearing at the leather.

"We petition the court to grant my client full custody of the children so they may have a stable and healthy environment to grow up in."

Nike rose as Francis sat down. "My client acted only in the best interests of his family. Your Honor, Mme Agreste isolated my client from his pears during crucial stages of development, neglected his emotional needs and allowed her husband to do far worse."

There was murmuring from the audience.

"It is only recently that my client has realized just how much damage Mme Agreste has inflicted on him. My client does not wish that for his own children. And as for his 'erratic behavior' it is hardly surprising that the end of a twenty year marriage takes it's toll."

The judge stared at Nike as he processed her words. "... You never pick the easy ones do you?"

"Your Honor, my client would need reasonable access to the children," Francis said.

"So ordered."

Nike protested. "Your Honor-"

"Until such time as it has been decided otherwise Mme Agreste is the grandmother and therefore has the right to see her own grandchildren. You folks have a lovely evening." The judge rose and everyone began filing out.

Adrien forced his fingers to relax. "That could've gone better."

"It's within expectations," Nike replied. "She may have visitation rights but you may still supervise."

"... I don't want her near them."

"I know. And if we play our cards right she won't be around much longer."

---

"-was very productive. I'm sure we can-"

Emilie stopped mid stride. "Francis?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Why did the judge call my son 'Lahiffe'?"

Notes:

ID: Two poses of the same guy with brown eyes and short, messy black hair. On the right he has his hands in his pockets and is wearing a black and red jacket. On the left he has his arms crossed and is wearing a white superhero suit with pink highlights. His mask is stylized like a pig's snout. End ID.

Commission by Angelisimo on Twitter

Chapter 13: I'm Just Your Average, Ordinary, Everyday Superhero

Summary:

Pirates!

"Adrien?"

"Yeah, Gregor?"

"Chloe Bourgeois is here to see you."

"..." Adrien paused in his cooking, the bacon in the pan flopping back in. "Chloe? That Chloe?

Gregor nodded, looking just as confused as Adrien felt.

"... Okay."

"I told her you're busy but she insisted. Should I send her away?"

"No," Adrien turned off the stove, removed his apron and made his way to the foyer. "She came all the way from New York. Might as well see what she has to say."

Chloe wore the latest style everything. Including a pair of heels that technically weren't even on the market yet. Bracelets that matched her purse and a short jacket to complete the look.

She looked every bit the businesswoman that had successfully completed a hostile takeover of her mother's company.

Her makeup kit snapped shut as she heard him approach, lifting her gold rimmed sunglasses onto her head. Eyes widening slightly as she had to look up at him. "Adrien. You look... comfortable."

He was wearing jeans and a loose fitting T-shirt. "Thanks. You don't."

"Small price to pay to look this gorgeous." Chloe flipped her long hair. "It's been a long time."

"Twenty-six, almost twenty-seven, years."

"Yup. Love the hair."

"What're you doing here Chloe?"

Chloe sighed as she took a deep breath. "I... I've been getting counseling. Since I took over Style Queen from dear old mom."

Adrien blinked. "Oh. I'm happy for you. Really."

"Thanks," Chloe fidgeted with the strap of her purse before forcing her eyes back to his face. "It made me realize... That I was a shit friend."

"...What?" Was Chloe- No, not after all this time.

"I was a bitch to everyone but you, you were my friend. My first real friend. But I was too busy thinking about status and treating you like... like an accessory. A prize."

Oh my god.

"You were the only person who believed in me and I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner. Appreciated it like I sh-should've. I'm sorry I didn't appreciate you like I should've."

Adrien's mouth parted in a small gasp.

"And I'm sorry for treating you like shit. I don't expect you to forgive me, I just felt like you should know."

"Heh. Hehehehe. Hahahahaha!" Adrien covered his face with one hand.

Chloe pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling. "Okay, that's all I wanted to say. Sorry to bother you." She turned to leave.

"Wait." Adrien took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you. It's just, out of everyone, you're the last person I expected a sincere apology from."

Chloe scoffed as she caught onto the unnamed persona non grata. "Well that's ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous."

Adrien smiled. "Thank you Chloe. That means a lot."

"It was overdue," she shrugged. "Saw your divorce on the news and the memories came rushing back like they happened yesterday."

"I hear that." Adrien was often plagued by memories. Even memories of things that never happened.

"Congratulations, by the way."

"Huh?"

"On your divorce."

Adrien felt something warm glow in his chest. "Oh." Oh. "Thanks," he smiled.

Chloe held up a hand to shake. Switched to a hug then thought better of it. "Take care of yourself yeah?"

"You too."

With a nod Chloe turned on her heels and strode out the front doors.

Adrien's vision blurred. He wiped his hand against his eyes and it came away wet. "Ah, shit." He rubbed the moisture out as best he could.

"Adrien?" Gregor asked as he rematerialized. "You okay?"

He gave Gregor a bittersweet smile. "Yeah... Yeah, I think I am."

---

Hugo grinned from ear to ear as he got ready for school. "This is so cool! I have a secret identity! Isn't it cool, Daizzi?"

Daizzi hummed noncommittally. "It's been a while since I've hidden at school."

Her subdued mood dampened Hugo's enthusiasm a bit and he gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sure Pigella will be back before you know it. That monk guy said it was only temporary after all."

"True," Daizzi managed a small smile, droopy ears lifting. "The Celestial Guardian doesn't lie about his expectations for Miraculous wielders."

Hugo noticed she didn't say what the monk did lie about but decided not to press it.

"Hugo! Breakfast!" his Papa's voice called through the door.

Hugo scowled at his retreating footsteps.

"Still mad at him?" Daizzi asked.

"I guess," Hugo shifted uncomfortably. "It's complicated."

"You should talk to him about it."

"Maybe later. C'mon." Hugo opened his jacket and Daizzi snuggled into his inside pocket. Rushing down the stairs. Almost running into his sister at the kitchen's entrance.

"Whoa! Why are you in such a hurry?" Emma asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Made a new friend," Hugo's grin was flawless. "Want to chat before school starts." Technically, that wasn't a lie.

Papa overhead him. "But what about-"

"Already on it," Hugo took a paper plate from the cupboard and pilied it with eggs, bacon and pancakes. "See you there slowpokes!" And he was out the door.

---

Papa sighed as Hugo rushed through like a whirlwind and left just as quickly. "Guess I'll tell you all later."

"Tell us what?" Emma asked.

"Where's Uncle Nino?" Louis asked at the same time. Pouring syrup onto his plate.

Papa coughed for some reason. Almost spilling his apple juice.

"He worked late yesterday so he's still sleeping," Gregor answered.

"Oh," Louis deflated a bit. Knife slowing as he cut his pancakes.

"Did you sleep at all?" Gregor asked Emma. Noticing her eating like she didn't want to smear her makeup.

Emma shot him a disgruntled look. No doubt plotting against him for seeing right through her eye bags. "I've been... Having bad dreams for a while."

Papa's brow furrowed. "We could visit your doctor and see if she can prescribe anything."

"It's fine, Papa," Emma insisted. Grabbing her own plate.

"Ok, if you say so."

Emma ate quickly and rose. "Thanks for breakfast, Papa."

"Wait for your brother, Emma."

"Actually," Louis swallowed. "You can go on ahead."

Emma's brow furrowed but Louis waved her off.

She leaned down to kiss Papa's cheek. "Ew, you're all scratchy!"

"Hmm?" Papa ran a hand across his chin. "Oops, sorry."

"Told you," Gregor teased.

Emma pushed at Papa's shoulder, which didn't budge at all, and followed after Hugo.

Papa smiled at her before turning to Louis and his smile became softer. "Is there something you wanna tell me, son?"

"..." Louis reached for Papa's arms and grabbed his sleeve. His other hand tapping his fingers against his thumb. "Can I stay home today?"

Papa's hand rose to touch Louis' before remembering himself. "... Is something wrong, Louis?"

"You can talk to us," Gregor added.

Louis' grip twisted as his body fidgeted under their gaze. The skin of his palm crawling. "I... I just can't 'people' today ."

"... Alright, I'll call the school to tell them you won't be in."

Louis' body sagged as the tension in his shoulders eased.

"Gregor, cancel my appointments."

"Y-you don't have to do that!"

Papa frowned at him. Louis avoided his gaze but that wasn't new.

"Okay. I have some time before I need to get ready. You want to do anything?"

"... Can you tell me more about dimension hopping?"

Papa smiled. "Okay, were did we leave off?"

"Bermuda vortexes."

---

"Are you sure this'll work, Captain?"

"Course it'll work! It's my plan, isn't it?"

"It's just, I hear they've got a whole team of colorful protectors."

"Then it's a good thing our prize is on the outskirts of the city, isn't it? We'll be long gone by the time the local authorities put on their breeches!"

"As you say Cap'n."

"Vortex opening, Captain!"

"Full speed ahead!"

"Aye-aye!"

---

"Akuma Alert! Akuma Alert!"

"Already? Yes! I mean- Oh, no. How terrible." Hugo ran to a nearby alley. "Ready Daizzi?"

"Is 'no' an option?"

" 'fraid not."

Daizzi sighed. "Fine. Go kick butt for Pigella. She loves kicking butt."

"You got it. Daizzi, transforme-moi!"

Hugo leapt out of the alley just as Emma rounded the corner. Her eyes widening in surprise.

"That was close... Okay if I was an akuma where would I be?"

"AHHHHHHHH!"

"Toward the screams. Duh!" Hugo gave his forehead a light smack and dashed across Paris' rooftops.

He skidded to a halt as a floating triple masted sailing ship came into view. A pirate flag flapping in the wind. Some kind of astronomical rings spinning next to the captain's wheel on the quarterdeck. He couldn't tell how many cannons but it seemed like too many.

And a giant, glowing, green triangle hovered behind the ship.

"Idiot!" someone yelled. "We were supposed to appear on the outskirts of the city! Not floating over their overrated landmarks!"

Hugo spotted a man in a long black frock coat and a tricorne hat grabbing another by the neck. Holding him precariously over the edge.

"B-but Cap'n! This is where the vortex opened!"

"You skull for brains! You should have compensated for the pull of the nexus!"

"Don't worry. You'll have plenty of time to yell at each other later!"

"Who- Oof!"

The Captain went sprawling as Hugo landed on his shoulders and jumped into a flip. Landing on the deck of the flying ship.

"Ahhh!" The crewmate yelled as he grabbed onto the ship's railing.

"Once yoouuu, oh my god you're skeletons!"

"What gave it away, little boy?" The Captain asked as he reattached his jawbone. A veil of small bones over his mouth clattering as he did so.

All of the pirates wore more clothing than skeletons usually did but where they didn't green light came from their ribcages. Twin lights peering out of the darkness of their eye sockets.

Oh, and they had plasma rifles pointed at his face.

Hugo took a step back. "Y'know, on second thought, charging in with no plan wasn't the best idea."

"You'll have plenty of time to curse your stupidity on the other side. Fire!"

Hugo leapt behind one of the masts as a barrage of green bolts rained down on him.

"These are the famed Miraculers of Paris? If I knew they were just children I would have plunderer the present ages ago!"

He eyed the skeleton pirates that had cutlasses instead of guns as they surrounded him. Pulling back his fist Hugo launched a qi backed punch at the nearest skeleton. Who erupted into pieces like a Jenga tower.

Hugo blinked, then grinned as he turned to the others.

The skeletons charged him with raised sabers.

Hugo launched a series of jabs as they closed the distance. Not as powerful as his first punch but strong enough to render them a pile of bones.

"Bunch of useless maggots!" The Captain roared.

Leaping onto the sail for a better vantage point Hugo peaked past the mast. Spotting where all the rifle carriers were. Plasma fire whizzing past his head

Quick as a blur Hugo spun out of his hiding place with tambourine in hand. Launching the Miraculous tool like a discus. Charging it's momentum with qi to knock all the remaining pirates to pieces.

All except for the Captain.

Hugo landed back onto the deck with a smirk. "I always wondered: why timeline piracy? It's not like the Triangle would let you bring anything into the past. Everything just goes right back where it belongs."

The Captain pulled out his sword, circling him warily. "To prevent paradoxes yes, fleshling. Very good. But I'm not interested in amassing wealth on Earth. The Bermuda Triangle is a crossroads of time and space! And soon it will tremble at my name! Captain Bonebeard!"

Hugo suddenly realized that the "veil" over the Captain's face was actually a beard. He pressed his lips together. "Pfft! Bonebeard? That really the best you could come up with?"

"Says the boy dressed up like bacon," Bonebeard scoffed.

"... Touche-"

Bonebeard unsheathed his sword and leapt forward in one smooth motion. Hugo only barely countering it with his tambourine because he was expecting it.

"Eel skinned, sonova-"

"You really thought you could take on Paris with a 'skeleton crew'?"

"Oh haha. You think you're so clever," the Captain sneared. "But you're forgetting something."

"Such as?" Hugo grinned.

Hands came from behind Hugo and gripped his arms. Pinning him in place while other hands knocked his tambourine skittering across the deck.

"Hey!" Hugo fought against the firm grip that held him but it barely budged.

"Such as skeletons being very good at putting ourselves back together, meatbag," the reassembled crewmate holding Hugo hissed into his ear.

Captain Bonebeard flicked Hugo's chest. Pink sparks flaring at the point of contact.

"Magic. So you have some tricks, landlubber."

Hugo tried to keep a calm-ish exterior even as his heart tried to launch itself out of his chest. "You can't hurt me."

"Bet your life on it?" The Captain grinned, raising his cutlass so Hugo had a good look at it. "Do you know how much it cost me to have Magecleaver forged from Nth metal? Lemme tell ya, it wasn't cheap."

Hugo felt the heat drain from his face. "Nth metal?"

"Oh you know what that is. Good."

Bonebeard held the blade closer to Hugo's eyes. Green flame eyes flaring as Hugo tried to lean away from the alien alloy. The skeleton holding him forced his head back.

Hugo couldn't breathe.

"Before you're skin and bones-" the Captain purred.

"Minus the skin," a pirate added.

"-Whose name should I brag about beating? I'll have to add some drama of course. Make your defeat actually worth the telling."

Bonebeard ran Magecleaver across Hugo's left arm. Electric sparks sizzling from the blade. Leaving a cut on the "indestructible" Pig Miraculous suit.

And beneath it, a drop of blood welled out of the stinging line in Hugo's skin. Eyes widening in realization.

"They can always tell when I make up the name-"

"Present!"

A bright pink light shot from the floor to roughly eye level. Manifesting a wrapped gift.

"What in the Seven Seas?" Bonebeard exclaimed.

A skeleton reached out and poked it.

"No, you idiot!"

Pink light washed over the pirate ship. The green candlelight of their eyes turning the same shade of pink. The grip on Hugo's arms slackened and he wrenched free. Scrambling for his tambourine before jumping overboard.

Rolling onto a rooftop. Hugo gasped as his heartbeat tried to kill him. "S'okay. Your okay," he said between breaths.

The Present's light showed the pirates outfitted in the finest clothes of two centuries ago. So much gold it was literally overflowing. The skeletons being waited on hand and foot. Only they weren't skeletons any longer but men of flesh and blood.

"LIES!"

An arc of lightning cut through the pink light. Shattering the illusion. Captain Bonebeard stood there with Magecleaver in hand. Green eyes burning with pure hatred. The timeline pirate pointed his electrified sword at Hugo.

Hugo took a step back.

"That's enough!" A new voice shouted.

Hugo looked up to see Pegasus and Ladybug get the drop on the skeletons. Plasma rifles lighting up again. But Ladybug deflected their fire by spinning her yo-yo like a shield as they dropped.

Ladybug launched her yo-yo in a wide arc. Scattering the skeletons' bones again.

Hugo shook his head of cobwebs. "Ladybug! They reform!" he yelled.

"Thanks, we got this!" she yelled back, not taking her eyes off the enemies.

"Voyage!" Pegasus aimed his fist at the piles of bones Ladybug left. One by one sending them somewhere else.

"NO!" Captain Bonebeard roared as his crew was cut in half. "Not again!" He raised his sword high and brought the tip down on his own ship.

Sending a shockwave that disassembled his crew. But also blasted Ladybug and Pegasus off his ship.

"First Mate! Get us out of here!"

The First Mate's bones floated back into shape. "Aye-aye, Captain!" He turned towards the astronomical rings and and spun them.

The light at their center glowed brighter as they spun faster and faster. A glowing green lightning bolt shot towards the giant triangle. The floating ship spinning around and sailing back to the Bermuda vortex.

"Oh no you don't!" Ladybug lassoed one of the masts. The wood splintering as her magic string dug into it. Heels digging into the concrete underfoot as she willed the pirate ship anchored to this time.

Bonebeard spotted Pegasus aiming his Voyage again. "Open fire!' he ordered.

What was left of his crew manned the cannons.

Pegasus eyes widened and he shifted his aim. Calculating the trajectories of the guns before they fired and catching the cannonballs in his Voyages.

Captain Bonebeard looked from where his mast was being torn apart to where Ladybug strained against his entire ship. In one fluid motion Magecleaver cut her string and their building momentum launched them into the vortex.

Ladybug sprawled onto her back as the force opposing her vanished. The Bermuda vortex disassembling into smaller triangles before disappearing completely.

Pegasus lowered his arms as the last cannonball vanished and the vortex closed.

"Ladybug!" Hugo leapt down to street level. "You okay?"

"What..." Ladybug gasped. "Were you thinking!?"

Oh, that was the lecture voice. Hugo didn't like the lecture voice.

She flipped onto her feet and scanned him with a scowl. "You're supposed to wait for backup before engage... What's this?" Ladybug reached for his left arm.

Hugo stepped back. Trying to hide the injury with his body. "It's nothing."

"Don't you fucking tell me it's nothing!"

His mouth fell open. Ladybug never swore. Hugo was so surprised he didn't resist as Ladybug grabbed his arm. Gentle but firm.

The scowl on her face holding less anger and more worry than it had a moment ago.

"It's just a scratch. Ow!"

"Just a scratch huh?'

Pegasus landed next to them. "No civilian casualties or injuries. With minimal damage to the road and a bent lamppost for damage. A ninety-nine percent victory."

"You're forgetting that they got away," Ladybug said as she placed her hands over the cut. "Miraculous Ladybug," she breathed.

Glowing pink ladybugs emerged from her palms and swirled around Hugo's arm. When they left his suit was repaired and the stinging fire on his skin was gone.

Hugo stretched his arm. "Whoa."

"Yes, I was excluding that," Pegasus informed them.

Hugo chuckled.

"Don't think you're off the hook," Ladybug snapped, raising a finger. "We're going to have to train you overtime, little Dīnghài."

"Fire... Boar?" Hugo asked.

"It's appropriate. You're reckless and impulsive," Ladybug explained.

"Oh..." Hugo looked down.

"..." Ladybug sighed. "You remind me of a certain black cat when we were starting out."

"Oh?" Hugo perked up immediately.

Ladybug scoffed but she smiled at him. "I'm glad you're okay."

The Pig Miraculous beeped insistently. Hugo blinked. It wasn't five minutes yet! He would've heard it over the plasma fire and the lightning blast and the- Okay, so maybe he was a little preoccupied.

Pegasus must've seen the panic on Hugo's face since he opened a Voyage to a deserted alley and pushed him through. "Remember your tool doubles as a communicator!"

The Voyage closed as Hugo detransformed.

Daizzi spun for a second before dropping into Hugo's outstretched hands.

"So! That was a disaster," Hugo rubbed the back of his head.

"Could've been worse," Daizzi supplied helpfully.

"Gee, thanks."

Daizzi patted his palm. "Not everyone gets it right immediately."

"But last time..." Hugo trailed off.

"Last time you had both Ladybug and Chat Noir by your side through all of it. Of course it was easier."

"Yeah... Thanks, Daizzi."

"Of course. I take payment in snacks."

Hugo chuckled as he pulled out a granola bar. Daizzi eating quickly so Hugo could start training. He checked his phone and replied to a text from Gregor that he was okay.

"Dīnghài," Hugo rolled the name in his mouth as he transformed again. "Not bad."

He spun the tambourine in his hands like a basketball. "You really saved my neck out there. If it wasn't for that Present I would've-'

A flash of pink light materialized another gift.

"..." Hugo raised his hand and smacked himself on the forehead. "Idiot!" He shoo-ed at it. "Go! Vanish! Disa-"

One of Hugo's hands touched the bow and a wave of pink light filled his vision.

---

"C'mon Mon ange, your Papa is waiting for us."

"... Maman?"

"That's right silly! Your Grandma taught Adrien a new family recipe and he wants us all to try it."

"But... you're... still living with us?"

"Where else would I be, mon ange?"

"I... I love you."

"I love you too."

"Will Emma and Louis be there?"

"Adrien did say everyone."

"I... Can I..."

---

Hugo fell backwards as his transformation fell.

"Hugo!" Daizzi zipped back and forth. As though not sure what to do.

"What... was that?!"

Daizzi stopped, frowning in thought. "That was my power. It shouldn't have done that. A Miraculous wielder should be immune to their own power... But you are young. It's been centuries since I had a wielder so new."

"... Besides Pigella you mean."

"Oh, yeah."

The Pig Miraculous beeped around his ankle. He had a message and it was probably a certain spotted hero wondering where he was.

"I... We can worry about that later," Hugo said as he rose to his feet. Hopefully later meant never. He stuck his fist in the air. "Daizzi, transforme-moi!"

Nothing happened.

"Daizzi?"

The kwami opened her mouth and pointed at it.

"Oh!" Hugo patted himself down for something to feed Daizzi.

Not at all lingering on the memory of the Present...

---

Emma stared after the Pig Miraculous hero. She could've sworn Hugo ran into this alley. But there was no one else there.

Hugo vanished behind the corner. And then the new Miraculer was leaping off to go deal with that Akuma Alert.

Her phone dinged. She sent Gregor an OK.

Emma's brow furrowed as she tried to join the pieces of the puzzle together but it was like trying to finish a clear blue sky.

She growled in frustration. A nearby trashcan rattled. Emma blinked. What?

The distant thunder of cannonfire eachoed through the city.

It was a ship. Triple masted. Way too many guns. Too little crew for such a large ship. They stole it.

... How did she know that?

---

Louis looked out the large windows nervously.

Adrien sat next to him. "It's okay. Nino's barrier will keep us safe."

"The fight appears to be contained," Gregor added.

"Appears?" Louis' eyes widened.

"The fight is contained!" Gregor corrected himself quickly.

"Emma and Hugo?"

"They're fine. Just got a text from Emma."

Adrien didn't ask about Hugo. Even though Louis surely noticed it too. He took a breath. It was going to be okay. He just needed to get out there and kick whoever's ass was- 

"There's Hugo!" Gregor announced. "Probably left his phone on silent again."

Adrien and Louis let out the breath they were holding.

"And Akuma Alert over!"

Adrien stood and stretched the tension out of his muscles. Glad his decision to not run out on his son with a flimsy excuse wasn't a colossal mistake.

I mean, it's not like they've ever really needed you.

Adrien grabbed the voice by the neck and imagined throwing it into the sun.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Adrien asked Louis again. "I can stay home."

Louis shook his head. "I'm okay now. I want some me time."

"Alright, son. Don't party too hard."

Louis rolled his eyes.

Adrien grinned as he left his youngest to his own devices.

Gregor followed behind. "Um, Adrien?" A holographic screen materialized. Showing a Bermuda flying ship.

"... Well shit. That's not supposed to happen."

Notes:

First and last appearance by Chloe. Hope you enjoyed.

Chapter 14: The Risen are Ridden with Rhythm and Dance

Summary:

On the Shadow Path.

"How disturb-ox," Caramba muttered, rubbing the "chin" of his short, round, yellow exosuit.

Looking through the data on his other arm's wrist screen. Caramba paced the length of the Chaos. Occasionally glancing at the waters of the Seine below.

"How did they open a vortex without a Blix?' Carapace asked.

"They didn't," Cece slid down the mast onto the main deck of the Chaos. "The astronomical rings you described are an Aerian dimensional anchor. They must've waited for a vortex to open in the general vicinity of France and redirected it to Paris."

Rena Rouge smacked her fist into her palm. "That's why it didn't close! They were keeping the vortex open because it was their only way back."

"But what were they after?" Carapace asked.

"You have a matriarch in that zoo of yours don'tcha?" Zak pointed out.

"The Blix? Isn't it a bit big?" Rena held her hands up and moved them apart to represent the relative size of the giant jellyfish and the pirate ship.

"Never stopped them from trying before," Cece replied.

"An entire dimension between her and the Triangle and these boneheads still can't leave her alone. Typical," Zak muttered.

"I hear you dude," Carapace said.

"It was definitely one of Caligo's missing ships." Caramba pulled his robotic limbs in and rolled his spherical exosuit towards Cece. Popping back to his feet and showing her his wrist screen. "Look at the engine signature."

"Caligo?" Rena asked.

"Admiral Caligo. He's the only skeleton with an eye patch," Zak explained.

Rena Rouge's brow furrowed. "Why would a skeleton need an eye patch?"

"What's more surprising is that you can detect anything at all, little dude," Carapace said.

Caramba opened the face screen of his exosuit. The small green alien grinned, single antenna bobbing. "Wahoolian technology is far more advance-ox than Earth standard. The only civilization that comes close is- No, I shouldn't say."

"Spoilsport," Rena muttered, disappointed at not getting a hint.

"If my calculations are correct the rate at which viable vortexes are appearing outside the Bermuda Triangle is stabilizing," Caramba stated.

"That's good. Right? That sounds good," Carapace observed.

"It's within expectations," Caramba shrugged.

"Huh?" Rena gave them a confused look.

"Remember when I unlocked the Triangle twenty-ish years ago?" Zak asked.

"Vaguely."

"Vortexes started opening sporadically across the Earth due to so many dimensions of null-time being... Reattached, so to speak," Cece explained. "The imbalance only delayed the stabilization process. Now that Carapace's ward is in place it appears the metaphysics of the Triangle is making up for lost time."

The present members of the Seven C's laughed at what was probably an inside joke.

"Hear that Turtle dude? Progress already!" Zak held his arm up for a fist bump. Carapace obliged.

"However, it does mean that more vortexes are safe to travel through," Caramba said. "Usually exiting the Triangle would send you back to the time and place you entered it."

"But skeletons were never ones for rules," Cece said.

"Neither are we," Zak grinned.

"You think they'll try again?" Rena Rouge asked.

"Unlikely. Timeline pirates have to contend with the temporal authorit-ox of Timesters, your own Bunnyx and the anti-paradox magic of the Bermuda Triangle itself. Coming back is just asking to get caught."

"Silver lining. I'll take it," Carapace grinned.

Zak rubbed his hands together. "Great! Then we're done. And since we're already here might as well go sight seeing!"

"Uh, don't you think an Atlantian and a Wahoolian will attract attention? Paris pretty much assumes anyone weird is an akuma nowadays."

"Rena Rouge is correct Zak Storm," Cece agreed. "We would stand out."

"I've thought of that!" Caramba raised a finger and then brought it down on a device in his hand.

A holographic field spread out from it. Zak's sword vanished. Caramba appeared like a short, pudgy boy in a yellow shirt. And Cece's clothes changed to more surface appropriate attire. Her hair was still pink but the scales on her forehead and the points of her ears disappeared.

Cece touched the invisible fins along her forearms to make sure they were still there. "And this is why Atlantians don't like visiting the surface."

"Aw, c'mon!" Zak wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Already walking down the ramp. "It'll be fun! We can visit an aquarium if you get land sick."

"Very funny, Zak Storm."

Caramba stretched his exosuit arm from the walkway on the bank of the Seine to pat the Chaos' hull. "We'll be back before you know it!"

The Chaos' eyes glowed briefly as he acknowledged their departure.

Rena glanced down at them, still on the deck, and pointed. "Should we?"

Nino waved her concern away. "Ah, let 'em be tourists. They deserve a break."

"I thought you said there were seven of them?"

"Yeah, two of 'em are spending time with family in the Middle Ages and one's in the Golden Age of Piracy. Apparently."

"Shut up!"

"I'm serious! Time doesn't flow linearly in the Triangle. You know that, dude."

"I keep forgetting that they're older than they look."

"Zak and Cece are about our age."

"They look twenty!"

"Yeah, they don't spend much time outside the Triangle... Or at least Zak doesn't. Atlantian dudes do age slower than us."

"I'd be jealous if it didn't come with temporal displacement trauma."

"You still look beautiful, dude."

"I'll have you know that I'm not the type of girl who fools around with another man's husband."

"Ha, ha," but Nino couldn't quite hide his smile.

---

"Good afternoon, Paris! This is Alya Césaire here with astronaut Claudie Kanté! Claudie is leading the first crewed mission to Mars. Glad to have you on the show Claudie."

"Thank you, Alya. Great to be here."

"Now you started off as a test pilot for Tsurugi Industries before moving to the European Space Agency, right? Why would you go and do a thing like that? I can't imagine the pay is any better."

"Heh, true enough. But it was always my dream to be a proper astronaut. I'm grateful for Tsurugi Industries but once the ESA called..."

"You're a woman with vision Claudie. I admire that. And it payed off! Tell us, why exactly is this Mars mission so important?"

"Yes, the Mavors One will carry the first humans to set foot on our sister planet."

"Excluding any superhero shenanigans of course."

"Naturally. But unlike the missions that established Selene Base on the Moon or Morning Star around Venus this is also a diplomatic mission. Mavors One is the first time the Martians have invited representatives of the human race onto the surface of Ma'aleca'andra."

"And what an invitation it is! In the many decades since Martian Manhunter and Ms. Martian took up the role of mediators between Earth and the Martian people we've never had a similar presence on Mars itself."

"That'll change once the UN ambassador sets foot on Ma'aleca'andra."

"Hopefully! But first you have to get there. Now tell me, is it true that the spaceship you're piloting is the first to use fully human made technology? No Kryptonian elements or what have you like the Justice League's Javelins?"

"That's a common misconception. With so many breakthroughs in reverse engineering alien technology from Lexcorp, Star Labs and the Oroku Foundation it's hard to tell what's purely "human technology" anymore. But! If instead one says that the O'Neal spaceship is the first human vessel built with science we understand. That would be more accurate."

"Oh? Would you care to elaborate?"

"The Javelins were based off the ship that brought Superman to Earth. We had some idea of how it worked but it wasn't until J'onn J'onzz came that we learned how to replicate it. And even then the science behind the hypedrive was beyond us."

"And now?"

"Now we have Mavors One. A trip that would normally take months done in seconds."

"Then why wait? Seems like you're raring to go!"

"You know engineers. Everything has to be perfect."

"Haha!"

"No, but the real reason is to coincidence with the Martian New Year. Ma'aleca'andra is an old civilization that places a lot of weight on rituals. Arriving when they are welcoming the beginning of a new cycle is just plain neighborly."

"There you have it folks! Claudie Kanté on the mission to Mars. I don't know about you but it sounds like she knows what she's doing!"

---

Hugo feigned right then dodged left. Barely avoiding Pegasus' horseshoe.

"Remember that your weapon's trajectory has more to do with where you will it to go than it does with physics, Dīnghài!" Pegasus called as his horseshoe knocked Dīnghài's tamborine out of his hand on the rebound.

Cocking his fist Hugo let out a qi backed punch.

Pegasus tanked his attack by raising his arms up. The force of Hugo's qi splitting in half as it collided with the Horse's magic.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Hugo ran to flank him.

"Eighty-five percent of enemies you face will be stronger than you," Pegasus lectured as he launched his horseshoe ahead of Hugo. "Your job is to outsmart them. Not overpower them."

Again Hugo channeled qi into his arms but instead of attacking he deflected the boomerang-like Miraculous weapon with his off hand. While launching another punch with his dominant hand.

Pegasus braced himself but it didn't hit him. It hit the ceiling beneath his feet. Eyes widening in surprise as the floor collapsed under him. Grinning as he fell into a Voyage.

"Definitely cheating," Hugo mumbled as the abandoned building gained another hole.

"Whoa!" The ground fell away from Hugo and the sky spun. Pegasus smiled down at him as Hugo stared up from his place on the floor. "...Ow."

"When fighting teleporters always assume they'll go for the cheap shots. Like appearing behind you and knocking you on your ass." Pegasus offered his hand to help Hugo up. "Because they will."

Hugo took it and let Pegasus haul him back to his feet. "Okay but I totally got you with that last move."

Pegasus smiled. "You adapt quickly. That'll serve you well in combat. But don't be so quick to reveal your long range qi attack. People will assume you'll rely on the power the Miraculous gives you and that gives you an advantage."

"But what if I need to use qi?"

"You can always channel it through your weapon."

Hugo held up his tambourine. And smacked himself lightly on the head. "Duh! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Melee fighters often obscure the efficacy of channeling qi through long range weapons. There have been several masters that infused their arrows with qi and at least one that I know of who did the same thing with bullets."

Hugo's eyes shone as he absorbed that tidbit of information for latter. And he was about to say that question was rhetorical. Ha!

"Why don't we try it out?"

Dīnghài grinned as he held the tambourine like he was about to throw it. Willing his qi to flow through it. And let it fly...

Hugo panted with his hands on his knees.

Pegasus made him practice channeling qi into his weapon until Hugo could do it almost instinctively. There still wasn't much extra power behind it's impact but at least his qi didn't dissipate before even hitting the target.

Once Pegasus was satisfied with Hugo's gruelling training for the day he jumped into a Voyage with a wave.

"And we didn't even practice my superpower."

...

Hugo held up the tambourine in his hands. "Jubilation, huh?"

This was a bad idea. This was a bad idea. This was a bad idea. This was a bad-

"Present!"

---

Louis was on the couch playing that Miraculous fighting game he liked so much.

Emma and Gregor were playing four dimensional chess.

Maman and Papa were baking something.

Hugo's hands stirred the batter.

He smiled, breathing deeply.

It smelled... It smelled like...

---

Hugo gasped as he woke up from the dream. Legs stumbling as he was thrust back onto the roof of the abandoned building.

What did it smell like?

Daizzi was giving him a reproachful look.

"What?" Hugo shifted defensively.

"You shouldn't do that."

He looked away from her gaze. Suddenly reminded that she was far older than he could imagine. "It's just a dream right? So no biggie."

"It is not just a dream. It's your deepest desire. Your heartfelt wish. I've had wielders get lost in their own heads before. It wasn't pretty."

Hugo wrapped his arms around himself. Eyes suddenly stinging as a heavy weight rose from his chest and lodged in his throat. "I... I'm just..."

Daizzi floated closer and placed a paw on his cheek. "I know, Hugo. More than anyone. I know."

---

"You need some fun."

"Nino..."

"Don't you 'Nino' me, bro. I know what you have to deal with better than anyone. We're going!"

Adrien sighed but allowed himself to be herded towards the door. "Gregor watch the kids!"

"Of course," Gregor gave a salute. Amusement leaking into his voice.

"Don't wait up!" Nino called.

Adrien made to summon the car but Nino just kept walking. "Metro it is."

They sat next to each other in a relatively empty car as it was past rush hour. Thighs and shoulders pressing together.

Adrien wondered if he was always so conscious of Nino's touch.

"Your pirate buddies say hi," Nino said.

"They know why the skeletons showed up here?"

"The matriarch."

"Typical."

Nino smiled as he remembered something. "Looks like they're gonna stick around for a while."

"We should go out for lunch."

The train stopped and they filed out. Going back up to ground level and walking past the greenery of Paris at night. The warm lights casting multiple shadows.

"Remember the Fertil-izer?" Adrien asked.

"Oh god! I try not to you jerk!" Nino shoved his shoulder.

Adrien laughed as he walked a bit out of range. "Oh, that was kinda funny."

"For you maybe," Nino grumbled.

Falling back in sinc with Nino, Adrien wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

Nino's body straightened before letting himself relax into the familiar pose. He wasn't always this conscious of Adrien's touch was he? ... Adrien's well muscled arm fit comfortably around Nino's broad shoulders.

"You catch Alya's broadcast?"

"Yeah, dude," Nino grinned. "She wanted that spot so bad!"

"Good, she's earned it. Alya works her ass off for them."

"Don't have to tell me, bro."

They chuckled as they remembered giving interviews for her when Alya was just starting. Both as heroes and civilians.

"You think the ambassador knows what he's doing?" Nino asked, remembering their meeting with the Martian delegation.

Adrien leaned in closer and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Okay, don't tell anyone. But the ambassador's a meta."

"For real!?" Nino winced as his voice rose but the handful of pedestrians they passed paid them no mind. "Dude that's huge!" he said dropping his voice back down.

"I know right!" Adrien grinned.

"Psychic?"

"Yeah."

"Righteous. Dude won't have to worry about accidentally 'saying' anything rude to the mind readers."

They walked in comfortable silence for a bit until Nino turned them down an alley.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Adrien exclaimed, suddenly realizing he hadn't asked where Nino was taking him. "I recognize that graffiti!"

Nino slipped out of Adrien's reach and whistled innocently. But not before sliding a charm mask into Adrien's hand.

"I don't think I can stay out this late," Adrien muttered, as he gave Nino a look.

"We'll leave at midnight!" He promised over his shoulder. Walking down the stairs into the basement of an unassuming building.

"Uh-huh," Adrien said as he followed. Lifting his glasses and putting the charm mask on. Glowing briefly as it adhered to his skin.

Lights flickered in the short hallway. A steel door painted with a red pentagram at the end.

Nino knocked.

An eye hole slid open. "Invitation?" A deep voice asked.

Nino held up his palm and a green hexagon flickered to life above it.

"Oh, it's you." The eye hole shut as the sound of several locks turning sounded through the door. "Didn't think you were working tonight."

"I'm not."

The door opened revealing a much larger stone room. The bouncer stood aside to let them pass. He was a big, burly man even taller than Adrien. With tattooed arms and a single eye.

The cyclops nodded at them before closing the door. Enchanted locks sliding closed by themselves.

A spiral staircase led even deeper underground. Slowly turning from rusted metal to something more... opulent. As they descended Adrien felt the beat of music in his bones.

Finally the stairs ended and Adrien gazed down at Le Chemin Sombre in full swing.

The main chamber was huge to accommodate the giant races and the ghosts dancing above them. It was designed to resemble an opera house with the many balconies around the walls with red privacy curtains. Stone pillars rising from the floor to the high ceiling. The DJ on stage sending out magic seals of light in rhythm with every beat.

The Shadow Path was full of monsters and magic users. The main floor separated into an area for human sized beings and giant sized ones to avoid accidents. A floating bubble of water held merfolk and aquatic monsters. The light from the DJ's magic dancing over and through it.

"Outa the way slowpokes!" A witch yelled as she ran past them and leapt off the balcony. Her broom arresting her fall as she joined a vampire in bat form swarming among the ghosts.

Adrien turned back to the entrance. There was more than one stair.

"C'mon dude!" Nino hurried to the stairs down.

There were also several fireman poles and even a slide.

Nino chose the slide.

Adrien whooped as he went. Letting the beat fill his head and the adrenaline coarse through him.

Nino took his hand when he emerged and guided Adrien through the sea of bodies to the triple dance floor as it reformed. Adrien knew what this was but hadn't tried it yet.

A new song started. Adrien rolled his head as the magic of the music washed over his skin. Body feeling the rhythm as it rose. And rose. And rose.

The beat dropped and the triple platform separated.

Adrien and Nino with it.

The highest platform was invisible save for the wisps of misty ectoplasm that gave Adrien's spirit a point of reference. He looked at his see through green hands and laughed.

Nino's ghost pulsed with light in rhythm to the beat and Adrien felt his do the same.

In the middle platform was Adrien's skeleton. He looked at the complex bones of his hands and laughed.

Nino's skeleton followed the movements of his ghost like they were the same. Because they are. And Adrien knew his own skeleton followed suit.

On the lowest platform Adrien was shadow. A silhouette that mimicked his other selves. Adrien's shadow looked at his hands and laughed.

Nino stepped closer to Adrien's shadow/skeleton/ghost and Adrien did the same.

The giants shook the world as they danced.

Their drumming beat filling all of Adrien as his dancing forms slid against Nino. Shadows merging. Skeletons almost touching. Ghosts pressing against each other.

The music shifted and the triple platform rejoined. Nino's forms superimposed on each other before he was flesh and blood again.

Adrien staggered back. Sweat dripping off him, panting from the exertion. Grin wide on his flushed face.

Grabbing Nino's hand Adrien stepped off the triple platform.

Nino leaned against Adrien's head and screamed past the music. "Had enough?"

"Not yet!" Adrien took them to the bar and ordered two water breathing cocktails. The non-alcoholic kind.

Nino grinned as they rented a locker for their stuff. Taking off his shirt and shoes.

Adrien did the same and leapt from one of the balconies into the floating orb of water. Nino quickly following. Their glasses sparked a bit as the spell present in the water kept them from floating off.

Dancing underwater was quite different than free-floating. The water resisted their movements so they had to be precise. Light dancing off Adrien's exposed skin. The cut of his muscles accentuated by the medium.

Nino seemed to think so too as he avoided looking at Adrien below the neck.

Adrien glanced at how Nino's muscles contracted in the liquid environment and felt his face heat up again. Yes, perhaps only looking at Nino's eyes was best.

Wait, no, he was stealing glances and that made the warmth in Adrien's chest rise to something hotter.

They didn't last long in the water.

But that didn't stop them from sampling the rest of Le Chemin Sombre. Nino tried a whiskey that made his hair change color. Adrien got his face and arms painted with shifting designs.

And they danced together well past midnight.

Chapter 15: Now You're Standing in Front of My Door Oh-Oh-Oh! Like None of This Happened at All, All, All!

Summary:

The truth... In the worst possible way.

"Dr Anouilh, what do you do for a living?" Francis Choquet asked.

"I'm a psychologist for the Centre pour Victimes Akumatisées." The man wore a sharp suit and sat straight. His face gave away no feelings of unease or undue confidence. Grey hair combed neatly, giving him a distinguished look.

"An admirable profession. Do you treat many akuma victims?"

"No, I focus on the people who were mind controlled, transformed or otherwise incapacitated by the akuma's anchor."

"In other words the people who were affected by the akuma's directed actions?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Can you verify the identities of any clients in this room?"

Doctor Anouilh gestured to Adrien and Emilie. "M Dupain-Cheng and Mme Agreste were some of my first patients. Before there was even a center."

"Let the record show that the witness referred to my client and M Lahiffe."

"Noted."

"Dr Anouilh, what was your assessment of M Lahiffe?"

"Well... Adrien was a bright but troubled young man. Often plagued by nightmares about Monarch's defeat even years later."

"Nightmares? What kind of nightmares?"

"Objection!" Nike called. "Relevance?"

"Withdrawn," Francis Choquet conceded. "For how long did M Lahiffe see you?"

"About ten years."

"Ten years. And why did he stop seeing you?"

"He needed a different touch."

"So you did nothing wrong? M Lahiffe just decided to replace you for no reason?"

Dr Anouilh took a breath to mask his annoyance. "It is perfectly within our patients rights to seek out a better fit for their needs."

"Of course, of course," Francis Choquet soothed with a smile. "By the time M Lahiffe chose a different psychologist he was already in his mid twenties correct?"

"... Yes," Dr Anouilh answered slowly.

"M Lahiffe was planning to start a family, correct?

Dr Anouilh shifted in his seat. "As I recall."

"In your professional opinion, was M Lahiffe mentally mature enough to start a family?"

"Objection!"

"Your Honor we are here to establish who should be granted guardianship of the three children. I think the competency of the defendant is highly relevant."

The judge sighed as he looked at Nike. "Overruled, Mme Pallas."

Adrien's heartbeat thundered in his ears.

"Answer the question, Dr Anouilh."

"... No. At the time I would not say Adrien was ready to start a family."

"Thank you. No more questions your honor," Francis Choquet said as he sat smugly in his chair.

Adrien could smell it. And smell the same smugness coming from Emilie.

Nike stood and straightened her suit. "Dr Anouilh, you say you worked with Mme Agreste as well?"

The doctor nodded. "She was the one who hired me."

"And when did she suspend your service?"

"When the CVA became independent from Agreste holdings."

"About two years ago, correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"So you'd know her a lot better than you know my client?"

Dr Anouilh could tell where this line of questioning was going and he didn't seem to like it.

Adrien did feel bad for him but the anger from their last session hadn't faded... Oh. Another unaddressed memory for the list.

"-was remarkably resilient. Having woken up from a coma only to find her husband dead. That kind of grief doesn't really go away. But we mostly focused on how to help her with Adrien."

"Mme Agreste talked to you about my client? How exactly did she want you to help her?"

"Well, how to relate to her son mostly. She often said that he disobeyed her."

"Disobeyed? How?"

"He'd sneak out or talk back. Regular teenage rebellion. Adrien was a bit of a late bloomer so he went through it later than his peers."

"So when Mme Agreste would talk about my client sneaking out, that wasn't cause for concern?"

"If he was getting into trouble it might have been. But Adrien's friends were just regular kids. Going to movies or parks or what have you."

"Would you say that Mme Agreste was overly controlling of-"

"Objection!"

"Overruled, M Choquet."

"Was Mme Agreste overly controlling of Adrien's time? Who he could hang out with? That sort of thing."

Dr Anouilh swallowed. "Many parents are overprotective of their children."

"That was not the question, Dr Anouilh."

"I... don't recall."

Adrien smelled blood in the water.

"You don't recall?"

"No."

"You're saying that it was so long ago you don't remember how Mme Agreste's parented her son?"

"Well, I mean, I-"

"Yes or no, please Doctor."

"... Yes."

"If you don't remember how Mme Agreste parented her child then isn't it possible you don't remember how said parenting affected my client's emotional well-being?"

"It's... possible."

"And then, isn't it also possible that you are misremembering Adrien's mental state?"

Dr Anouilh shifted uncomfortably. "I suppose."

Nike looked Francis Choquet in the eyes. "Let's go back to the beginning, shall we?"

---

Emma paried her opponent's strike and countered with a flourish. Her rapier hitting him in the shoulder. Pouring all her concentration into her form. Controlling her breathing. Shifting her grip.

Absolutely not ignoring her recurring dream of a blinding light swallowing everything it touched.

Sensing her distraction Jules lunged forward. Emma moved to parry it. A feint! His razor struck her arm.

Again they retook starting positions. Emma taking in his stance. She couldn't see his eyes through the fencing mask but if she focused Emma would have a half second warning of where he'd strike.

There!

Emma paried and pressed forward. Forcing Jules onto the back foot. He mistimed a lunge and Emma got him in the chest. Game set and match.

A whistle blew as coach called practice.

Emma gasped as she took off her fencing helmet.

"I'll get you next time, reus!" Jules announced as he did the same.

"Pfft! With a riposte that slow you'll be lucky if you hit a wall."

"Yeah!... Well!" Jules' face heated up as he failed to come up with a proper comeback.

Emma chuckled as she walked to the changing rooms. He was actually pretty good but riling up Jules was just too fun. And if he trained harder in order to beat her, which made sparring even more fun, well that was just a bonus.

She walked out of the changing room freshly showered. Totally not thinking about cutting her hair because it took forever to dry. The team was probably already at her grandparents bakery.

"E-Emma?" A voice called from around a corner.

Emma stopped as she saw Louis face. Red and puffy from crying. She resisted the urge to hug him. Stepping closer, using her body to block him from any prying eyes.

"What happened?"

---

Louis walked home for lunch as usual. Emma and Hugo stayed in the cafeteria to eat with their friends but he didn't like the noise. And the food's texture didn't tend to agree with him.

The walks were nice though. Grass all the way along the roads and trees everywhere. What he mentally referred to as mini arcologies popped up intermittently from among the more traditional buildings. Louis often heard the older folks grumbling about the sleek, curved structures but he liked the contrast between the future and past of Paris.

Technically the whole road could be walked on since the reorganizing of transportation. But old habits and all that. There were still buses and trams. Still private vehicles were rare even on busy streets.

Which is why he heard the car pull up beside him before he saw it.

The back window rolled down as the car stopped. "Louis! Hi, sweetie!"

Louis blinked. "Grandma?"

"Well, don't just stand there! Get in!"

The door opened and Louis sat opposite Grandma in the limo.

"What, no kisses for your Grandma?"

Louis shifted uncomfortably.

"Be polite to your grandma, Louis," Maman said like always.

Louis stood briefly and kissed Grandma on the cheek. Forcing himself to keep a neutral expression on his face.

"I know this lovely restaurant where we can catch up while we have lunch," Grandma Emilie smiled brightly.

The restaurant was fancy but not high end enough to require a dress code. Still Grandma Emilie made him change out of his hoodie and into an overshirt. Louis felt cold and itchy without it. But at least the sound of the other patrons was low.

"Your usual, Madame?" The waiter asked.

"Of course. And the special of the day for my grandson."

"Oh, um..." But the waiter was already gone.

"Now then," Grandma Emilie leaned in closer. "How's school?"

One of his classmates groaned as the teacher called on Louis for the third time. He didn't say anything. Louis hates talking in class. Hates being the center of attention. All those eyes. The teacher made a comment about how rude Louis was being. One of the boys complained that he's holding up the class. "It's not his fault," says another. "He can't help it if he's special." Mocking giggles ripple throughout the class as the teacher tells them to be quiet. Distracted from Louis' "rudeness" by someone passing notes.

"Fine," Louis lied, the lights overhead flickering.

Grandma Emilie gave them a judging stare before softening as she looked back at Louis. "Just fine? No sports? No clubs? I hear your brother started a superhero club."

"He told the teachers it's a history club," Louis remembered.

"Which is technically true," Grandma Emilie said with a wink. "It's a shame my son can't spend more time with his own kids."

Adults always did this. Acted like Louis was dumb because he was young and weird. No, not dumb. Stupid. Stupid enough that he wouldn't see what Grandma Emilie was doing. The words left his lips before he could swallow them. "Why are you trying to take us away from Papa?"

Surprise flickered briefly in Grandma Emilie's eyes. She looked to the side, away from his face even though Louis never quite made eye contact. "Your father is so busy. Running a multi-billion euro company, managing all those philanthropic endeavors, not to mention remarrying."

A chill crawled across Louis skin as his eyes widened. "What?"

"Your order Madame," the waiter said as he set down their plates.

"Oh, lovely," Grandma Emilie beamed as she cut into her food. "I was so surprised when I heard your father already tied the knot with someone else. I had no idea he felt that way about him."

Louis stared at his plate without touching it. One of the bulbs went out. The waiter stared at it in confusion before hurrying to get it changed.

"But then again they have been best friends since they were children."

Uncle Nino!? Louis' head throbbed. His mind felt slow and rusty. Why? Why would Papa do that? Why would Papa do that to Maman? To all of them? Why would Uncle Nino-

"Your foods going to get cold if you don't eat," Grandma Emilie said.

Absently, Louis shoveled food into his mouth. Thankfully edible to his palette. Or maybe that was just the growing numbness.

Louis didn't really hear anything Grandma Emilie said as they drove back to school. The words blurring together. Until they pulled up to the school's main entrance and he got out.

"You should try a little harder to make friends, dear," Grandma Emilie smiled pleasantly.

The Tsurugi car's engine sputtered and died.

Grandma Emilie frowned as she got out and turned the key manually. "That's not supposed to be possible."

Louis left as the engine restarted. He didn't feel like going to class. Couldn't concentrate even if he did. Louis waited in the library until school was over. And just outside the lockers once Emma's practice started. He didn't want to interrupt her.

But shouldn't he tell her now? What if he was overreacting. People always told him he was acting up over nothing. Was this one of those times?

Overhead lights flickered.

The numbness faded suddenly and Louis felt the blurry heat fall from his eyes. Louis took off his glasses and pressed his palms against them. Trying to push the tears back in but only succeeding in worsening his headache.

Louis heard his sister before seeing her. "E-Emma?"

Her eyes widened as she took in his distress. "What happened?"

---

"Controversy continues to surround the debate on whether or not France should include 'monsters' under the protective umbrella of the Sapiens Inclusion Amendment. The current administration's stance was largely influenced by outspoken support for the shadow communities by Carapace, Chat Noir and Rena Rouge."

Nino felt more than a bit of pride at that as he left the employee room at his latest gig. It wasn't Le Chemin Sombre but it wasn't too shabby either. Ever since the Unveiling his role as Protector got even more complicated. It helped that Adrien and Alya's domains overlapped with his.

He yawned as the sun poked through Paris' skyline just right to shine in his face. Very rude of her really. Nino wanted to get home and go to bed.

"That's him!"

A microphone was thrust in Nino's face. Ok, he was awake now. More microphones joined the first.

"M Lahiffe! M Lahiffe! Is it true Adrien left his wife for you?"

Nino felt goosebumps along his skin that had nothing to do with the brisk morning air. A wrecking ball dropping right into his stomach. "Wh-wha-?"

"How long have you and Adrien Dupain-Cheng been having an affair?"

He backed up. "We didn't-"

"Was Adrien always gay?"

"Did you ask Adrien to leave his wife?"

"Do you feel guilty about being a homewrecker?"

"You really think two men can raise three kids?"

"Is your romantic relationship why Adrien promoted your remixes online?"

"What would you say to Marinette Dupain-Cheng if she were here right now?"

Shit! Shit! Shit! Nino walked backwards until his back hit the wall. Hand banging on the handleless side door. Almost colliding with the disgruntled manager as he cracked it open.

The guy took one look at him and jerked his thumb toward the other exit.

Nino nodded emphatically as he moved past him. "So sorry about this."

The man shrugged. "Not the first celebrity drama we've had."

Unfortunately the shame heating up Nino's chest didn't listen.

He called a taxi and waited until it pulled up. Then sprinted into the cab.

"There he is!" One of the vultures called.

"Eclipse Manor!" Nino panted.

The cab driver accelerated a bit too fast. Keeping ahead of the crowd of 'reporters'. He whistled. "Man, you're pretty popular today ain'tcha? Should I recognize you?"

Nino's brain still wasn't working quite right. His mind going back to the union protests that kept public transport run by people. Therefore letting the cabdriver in front of Nino keep his job.

Eclipse Manor. Adrien's home. He hadn't even hesitated.

Nino hated the spotlight outside of Carapace. Sure there were some paparazzi at first, since he was Adrien's best friend, but they quickly lost interest when no drama manifested. The glamour providing insulation from prying eyes. Kept his heroism and civilian lives separate. Let Nino keep being a stupid kid and then a semi successful DJ without having his every action judged under a microscope.

He saw what that did to Adrien and later Marinette. Nino wanted no part of being a "celebrity".

"No," Nino answered as his brain caught up with the present. "I'm nobody important." And he preferred it stayed that way.

---

Hugo channeled qi into his arms lessening the blow of the akuma as it sped past. Feet sliding against concrete as he was pushed back. "Ow."

"Stick to the plan Dīnghài," Viperion said through his earpiece.

"She started it!" Hugo called back as he ran back to his spot.

The akuma zoomed up to Viperion.

"God, I hate this part," the Snake hero said as the akuma grabbed him and spun like a tornado. Letting go at precisely the right moment to send Viperion flying over the streets of Paris.

Vesperia launched her top at ankle level, the string of her weapon taunt like a tripwire. The spin slowed the akuma down enough that she didn't see it before falling face first into concrete... Or she would've if she hadn't caught herself.

"Now!"

Dīnghài threw his tambourine like a discus.

The akuma was already on her feet.

Hugo's weapon ricochetted between a lamppost, wall and ad kiosk. Keeping the akuma pinned. Sweat beaded on his brow as Hugo concentrated on keeping his qi flowing.

The akuma's eyes tracked the movement of his weapon. Even as it got faster and faster she kept pace with it. She took a step and was outside the makeshift barrier. Giving Hugo a wicked grin.

"Duck!" Ladybug called. Barely giving him enough time to follow the order before her yo-yo whizzed over his head.

Hitting the akuma square in the face. Throwing her off balance. A Voyage opened up beneath her and Vesperia rose to stab the villain with her paralyzing Venom.

Miraculous Ladybug soon followed.

"Huh," Hugo commented. "That was... easier than I thought it would be."

"Viperion how many tries?" Ladybug asked, looking at Hugo.

"Three hundred and forty-seven," Viperion answered, removing a rotten banana peel from landing in a dumpster.

Hugo felt his face blush under the mask. "Oh."

"You can't underestimate supervillains. Even the silly ones are dangerous." Ladybug placed a hand on his shoulder and went to check on the victim.

"I saw you maintained focus," Pegasus praised, appearing beside him. "An eighty percent increase in efficiency. Impressive."

Hugo beamed. "I can get it higher."

"Agreed. But rest is also important. No practice today, Dīnghài."

Remembering the way his legs complained after detransforming the last time Hugo nodded.

Pegasus disappeared into another portal. But not before catching a glimpse of a bald monk on the other side. Su-Han, the Celestial Guardian. Technically Hugo wasn't supposed to know that. No civilian was.

Except Su-Han wasn't very good at keeping a low profile and tended to barge in whenever he felt like it. Normally Hugo was all for super secret mentors. But something about Ladybug's boss gave off bad vibes.

Even if he was the one who (probably) put Daizzi where Hugo would find her.

Okay! That's enough of that. Hugo leapt away from the battle field. Glancing up and down to make sure the spot hid him from super and civilian eyes.

"Present!"

Hugo's brown eyes turned pink as he touched the Gift. A smile spreading across his face. The power of Jubilation transporting him far away.

He stood there as the ankle bracelet beeped down.

One minute.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five. Five. Five!

"Wait!" Hugo called as he detransformed.

Daizzi was giving him the Look but before she could say anything Hugo's phone chimed.

Again.

Again, again, again, again, again.

Oh, that wasn't good.

His phone rang and Hugo nearly jumped out of his skin. It was Emma. Great. What did he do now? Wait no, that wasn't fair. What if it was important? Stupid question. Of course it was important.

His phone was still ringing.

Hugo scrambled to answer it. "What, yes, Emma?"

"Hugo!" Emma practically shouted in his ear.

"Ow," he admonished, wincing.

"S-sorry..."

"... Emma? Earth to Emma?"

"Are you close to home?"

"I can be there in five. Emma what is it? You're freaking me out."

"... I don't want to tell you on the phone."

Hugo went cold. "Is it Louis?"

"No! Kinda. It's... Just get here!" Emma hung up.

Leaving Hugo imagining the worst as he transformed and sprinted over rooftops.

Notes:

I am trying to maintain an update schedule but 😅 If this keeps up my update day will loop back around to Friday... Anyway!

Chapter 16: Can We Work it Out? Can We Be a Family?

Summary:

A dream fulfilled.

A sigh left Marinette as she leaned back, the last outfit of the main line passing inspection. Her team was experienced and capable. She should really trust them more but Marinette preferred to double check. Needed to double check. To make sure anything that could conceivably go wrong wouldn't.

She took a breath.

Marinette had gotten a better handle on her anxiety as she got older. But the whole divorce really drained her. So here she was triple checking dresses that didn't need it.

Turning her catastrophizing into an asset was a skill that served Marinette well as Ladybug.

Like with the akuma victim earlier that day. Ladybug always had a backup plan... Except, it was Viperion's plan. Viperion's successful plan.

For years Marinette told herself that was different! Viperion didn't just see the future he experienced it. Several versions of it. Luka had more information than her that's why she let him take point sometimes. That was all.

...

Marinette's eyes ran along the contours of the dress. Black, sleek, with lines of green accentuating it's form.

"Ma'am?" Marinette's assistant spoke up. "If that's done we still have the-"

"Actually... I think we're done for the day. I'll leave it in the team's capable hands." Marinette stood and began heading for the door.

Her assistant stared for a second before hurrying to catch up. "Oh-kay? Um, the models are ready for practice runs."

"Tell their supervisor to contact me if there are any problems."

"... Jen and Dina are fighting again."

"I will fire them if they can't act like adults."

Marinette saw the surprise flicker across her assistant's face. "What? I mean, I am the boss. I can delegate."

Apparently it was a day for uncharacteristic boldness because her assistant replied: "Yes, we know that ma'am but we were wondering if you did."

Marinette's eyes narrowed. "Who's this 'we'?"

"... No one!"

"Uh-huh." Marinette smirked.

After almost twenty years her employees were painfully aware of Marinette's micromanaging habits. They were saints about it but more permanent progress on Marinette's part was overdue.

They passed the traditionally inspired lines of clothing. Accepting that Marinette wasn't as up to date on Chinese fashion as she hoped had been a bitter pill to swallow. But she had quickly rectified that. Hiring talented designers from her mother's country and powering through the embarrassment of the foux pas.

Her assistant stopped walking as a notification pinged her tablet.

"C'mon, we'll finally have you home at a decent hour," Marinette teased, walking towards the front doors of her building.

"Ma'am!" Her assistant held out her tablet. It was the gossip section of the evening news. A muted video of Nino sprinting into a cab to escape the paparazzi played. With the headline: "Adrien Dupain-Cheng's New Husband Refuses to Deny Cheating Allegations".

Marinette felt her jaw drop as she stared at it... What the fuck? She turned her head back to the exit. Now that she was looking there were at least two news vans visible past the glass doors. Probably more.

"Fuck that." Marinette marched to the elevator. "Call the hovercar."

Her assistant's fingers blurred over the tablet as she sent instructions. "But you said that was only for-"

"This definitely counts!" Marinette hit the button for the roof. Pulling out her phone and holding it to her ear.

There was a click as her best friend answered.

"Alya!"

"I'm guessing you saw," Alya replied distractedly. Voices and movement audible on the other side.

"Did you know they-"

"Nino mentioned it. Fucking gossip channels are eating into our viewership! I'm gonna need interviews from Adrien and Nino to get ahead of this bullshit... God I hate that."

"You didn't tell me?"

"Marinette, girl, I love you. But it wasn't really my place to say. Was it?"

"... I guess not."

Alya seemed to pause what she was doing. "Where are you?"

The elevator dinged open just as the hovercar pilot was starting the engine.

"On my way home."

---

Hugo stared down at Louis as his gut twisted like writhing serpents.

Louis wrapped his arms around his knees as he fidgeted under Hugo's gaze. Trying to sink deeper into his bed.

"She could be lying," Emma suggested, halfheartedly.

"Don't be stupid," Hugo snapped, nerves frayed. "It's too easy to find out if she was lying!"

"I'm saying we don't know enough yet idiot," Emma retorted, not quite resisting the urge to call Hugo names. "We need to figure out what's going on."

"Please!" Hugo felt fire rising from his gut and into his chest. Outshining the little voice in his head that told Hugo to pull back. "It's pretty fucking obvious! Papa wants to replace Maman with Uncle Nino."

A sob escaped Louis as his siblings voices started to rise.

Emma glanced at Louis. Too incensed at Hugo to back down. "We don't know that! We don't know anything!"

"Because Papa won't tell us anything!" Hugo yelled. Unable to keep his voice level. The fire in his chest spilling out of his mouth. "Go here! Do this! Did you know your Grandma wants to take you away from me? I'm sure I'll get around to telling you eventually!"

Louis' hands rose to his ears.

There was a knocking sound from the mansion speakers. "Hugo?" Gregor called from the hallway. "Are you all okay?" Gregor wasn't allowed inside their rooms without permission.

"Not now!" Hugo snapped without thinking.

"...O-o-o-o-oh," Gregor glitched. "O-o-okay..."

Hugo stumbled backwards as something shoved against his chest. Eyes widening as Louis' tear filled eyes glared at him.

"G-get out!" Louis demanded, voice trembling. The lights overhead flickering. "D-don't talk to him that way!"

Hugo's gaze shifted from his brother to his sister. Pressing trembling lips together as conflicting emotions colored his face crimson. The fire in his chest gone as soon as it erupted. Replaced by something that burned him more than it wanted to burn others. Hugo stormed out of Louis room. Shame clogging his throat even as he desperately wanted to call out to Gregor.

The door to his room slammed open.

"Daizzi, transforme-moi!" Hugo said before she could get a word in. "Present!"

---

Nino jerked in the back of the cab as a wave of negative energy passed over him. Like he dove head first into a frozen lake. Goosebumps crawling over his skin.

Wayzz poked his head out of his hiding spot. Eyes bulging in trepidation. "Young Master!" he stage whispered.

"I felt it," Nino confirmed, placing a hand over Wayzz. Pulling a large euro note out of his pocket with his other hand Nino held it up to the cabdriver. "Hey, my dude! We need to get there yesterday!"

---

Hugo had summoned a Gift a half dozen times by now. Knew how it should look. How it should feel. If he'd stopped to consider it Hugo would have realized that the Present in front of him was wrong.

Ribbons dark purple instead of pink like the rest of the wrapping paper. The aura around it desperate and hungry. Not warm and soothing.

If the pain in Hugo's chest was any lesser he would have hesitated before reaching for the Gift. Would have questioned it's wrongness. Realized why the Present warped as he summoned it.

"Hugo?"

As it was, only the sound of Emma's voice calling his name stayed his hand.

---

"Are you sure this is the place?" Zak asked, glancing around.

The deserted alley was ridiculously clean. Of course, Zak didn't spend a lot of time in big cities (Marituga didn't count). Could be they were all this clean now?

Graffiti using Carapace green in it's stylization said 'Nique la Police!' across an entire wall.

Zak doubted it.

"It should be- ow, ow, OW!" Cece squeezed her eyes shut and gripped her head.

Zak's hands hovered over her. Ready to catch Cece if she stumbled.

The psychic headaches worsened as she got closer to the source. Cece waved a hand vaguely without looking up. "Here!"

Zak glanced starboard and port side. "I don't-"

A hole in time tore through the Veil, quieter than he expected. Beyond it Zak saw endless white nothingness with points of temporal reality scattered like stars against the void. Null-time seeping through the breach.

The Great Key shook in it's scabbard at Zak's side as the Eyes of the Seven Seas glowed. It's holographic disguise failing.

Then the Burrow was gone. Leaving behind a concentrated focal point of raw hatred, pride and terror.

Zak had imprisoned demons, slain gods of death and reasoned with cosmic entities. Every single one was odd and unsettling. Like their very presence sent ripples through the Veil. But none of them felt wrong the way akuma did. Cece described it like the magic was turned inside out and Zak was inclined to agree.

The corrupted insect flew towards some unsuspecting victim.

Zak unsheathed the Great Key with a flourish. "Calabrass, give me the Eye of Zite!"

He slammed the pomel into his palm. The spoked wheel that was behind the skull stylized guard spun. The skull's eyes glowed as the spoke with the Eye of Zite spun into place. The symbol for Zite glowed brighter than the rest as it floated onto the skull's forehead. The other Eyes' symbols taking on it's green hue.

Power from the Sea of Stars flowed through the Eye. Zak stretched out his right hand as celestial green flowed over his sword. Turning it into a star shaped flail. Stretching out his left arm, the celestial energy formed a metal gauntlet all the way up to his shoulder. It's grey metal tinted dark green and glowing, four pointed stars on his wrist and shoulder. The headband that had his webcam shifted so that another glowing, four pointed star covered his left eye like an eye patch. Red shirt turning celestial green while his vest became a proper captain's coat. His seaman's boots became the same dark tinted metal as what covered his left arm.

The transformation took seconds.

The akuma was almost out of the alley.

"Starlight Showdown!"

Zak spun the star flail over his head. The weapon becoming a green blur. Summoned by his call sunlight that was more than sunlight shone down through the clouds.

Bathing the akuma in the light of Zite. The Light of Creation.

For a brief moment the akuma shone too bright to see.

Then a white butterfly fluttered out of the sunlight.

---

Hesitantly, Louis followed his siblings to Hugo's room.

Gregor's holographic face didn't appear. Keeping the embers of Louis anger alive even after the guilt set it. Hugo shouldn't have done that... Louis shouldn't have done that.

He didn't want to fight. Didn't want to stay mad. Maman and Papa always said they should resolve their issues by communicating...

The empty places where Maman's portraits used to hang were deafening in their silence.

"So that's what you've been doing," Emma accused. Her voice carrying down the hall. Sunlight shaded pink streaming from the open door. "Playing pretend."

"Is that a crime!?" Hugo snapped, voice rising, making Louis flinch. "So what if it's not real?" He asked, voice breaking. "So what if it's only five minutes? I just wanted to feel like a normal family for once in my fucking life..."

"There is no 'normal'!" Emma said, hurt making her own voice rise. "There never was!"

Louis looked into Hugo's room and-

Oh.

The pink light wasn't from the sun at all.

It was from... This blurry thing floating in the middle of Hugo's room.

Hugo and Emma had their backs turned, facing his windows. Like the floating blur was a distraction.

Louis took off his glasses and the Present came into sharp relief as everything else fell away. Even his siblings' voices became muffled.

"What do you care!?"

Louis' glasses slipped from his hand. Pink light filling his dark brown eyes. The dark purple ribbons dancing in his head. It was so beautiful.

"It's not real!"

Louis could almost hear it. Promising joy. Contentment. Peace. He reached out his hand-

"Louis? Louis!"

-and grabbed it.

"NO!"

Emma and Hugo shielded their eyes as blinding pink light swallowed all of Paris.

Notes:

Art by DonnaOneOne on Twitter.

Chapter 17: I Know All Your Reasons to Keep Me from Seeing

Summary:

S: Through rose-tinted glasses.

Louis was a normal kid with a normal life.

Stretching with a yawn as he sat up in bed. Sunrise painting his room in warm pink hues. The smell of breakfast already wafting up from the kitchen. Louis smiled, breathing in the familiar scent as he reached towards his bedside counter for-

A wrinkle formed on Louis' brow, his other hand sliding under his eye to behind his ear. What was he reaching for again?

His alarm blared that it was time to get up.

Oh, right! Louis smacked the off button and leapt out of bed. His wardrobe had dozens of the exact same outfit. Sky hoodie and jeans. Tapping his fingers against his thumb as he went. Eyes reflecting the pink light of the rising sun. "Da! Da dum da!"

Posters about de-extinction and the science behind it covered his walls. An entire wall was dedicated to video games. From retro consoles to the latest VR. Books about AI and fairytales organized by genre.

"Hurry up slowpoke!" Hugo's voice called through the door as he went downstairs.

In the kitchen was a green Kanté using his surprisingly strong arm to organize the used ingredients. Little copter blades above his head wiring faster when he picked something up. Papa grinned at the little robot as he placed a large stack of pancakes on the table.

"Morning Gregor," Louis called as he sat between Hugo and Emma. "Morning Papa."

"Good morning, Louis!" Gregor smiled with his "eyes" ^^ the pink face screen shifting with his expression.

"Awesome!" Hugo reached for the chocolate chip pancakes Papa made just for the sweet toothed members of the family.

"I'm awake!" Maman called as she stumbled in.

"Morning sleepyhead," Papa greeted, leaning in for a kiss-

"Don't touch me!"

-Maman sat at the head of the table as Papa poured her coffee. Hugo was smothering his pancakes in butter and jam. Emma grabbed the diced strawberries and blueberries and poured them onto hers. Louis cut his pancake precisely and then drowned it all in syrup.

"Are you coming to my match this afternoon?" Emma asked. "Aunt Kagami is going to be there."

"Of course, ma fille," Papa smiled. "We wouldn't miss it."

Maman nodded. "I'll be off work by then."

"I wanna dream," Gregor hummed as he took the coffee away from Hugo. "Leave me to dream..."

Superheroes ran across the rooftops of Paris on the brief route to school. Papa riding along with Louis and his siblings.

Passing by a park filled with families and joggers. Pixies fluttering from one flower to the next. A witch using the grilling area to brew potions in her cauldron. Two metahumans playing with a fountain's water sprout. And a synthoid walked around without their holographic disguise.

A polished silver statue rose from the middle of the park, gleaming in the sun. It's benevolent expression gazing out over the people of Paris.

An announcement came on between radio songs. "Today is G- zzt A- ztzz Memorial Day when we remember the sacrifice he made for our city-"

"LIAR! LIAR!! LIAR!!!"

-They were past it and Grandfather's likeness disappeared behind a building.

"But I wanna dream..." The radio continued. "I wanna dream..."

"Emma!" Izel, Emma's best friend, called from among the fencing team. Emma waved goodbye at her brothers and rushed up to Izel.

"Hey Hugo!" A bunch of boys goofing off at the base of the stairs greeted. "Mike says he can kick your ass in Sentries of the Last Cosmos III."

"Pfft! In his dreams!" Hugo dodged a friendly headlock with a skip. Directing them to a shave headed student inside the doors. "Àngel!" Hugo gave them la bise twice on each cheek. "Meet my kid brother, Louis."

Àngel seemed a bit put off by Hugo's friendliness but smiled nonetheless. "Hey."

"Hi," Louis replied.

Hugo clapped his hands with a smug grin. "See? You're both terrible at making friends so I made one for you. You're welcome."

"Hugo-"

"Absolutely not-"

"You can't just-"

"Aww, you're practically finishing each other's sentences!" Hugo leaned his head against his palms like a dotting helicopter parent.

Louis didn't have the vocabulary to express his annoyance just then so he opted for kicking Hugo in the shins. Feeling the telltale sign of qi blocking his foot from making contact. So Louis stuck his tongue out instead. Which Hugo returned.

"Oh I'm totally telling your brother about the time you landed on your ass trying to do a triple backflip," Àngel announced.

Louis perked up at that.

"Nooooooo," Hugo pouted, giving them his best kitty-cat eyes. "Then he won't think of me as the cool sibling!"

"Bit late for that," Louis mumbled with a smile.

Àngel chuckled. "I'm sure you have loads more embarrassing stories about your bro than I do," they said with a look that implied Louis should regale them with said stories.

"Okay!" Louis grinned. His usual withdrawal from strangers oddly minor today. Especially with Àngel who seemed fun. Louis was practically buzzing, a grin spreading across his face as they walked to class. "Ta da! Ta da! Ta-"

"Hahahahaha!"

-Louis' fingers tapped against his thumb.

"Alright class, today we'll be studying how the reintroduction of ice age megafauna affected the ecosystems of North America and Siberia," the teacher said as a holographic globe highlighted the areas of interest. "Can anyone tell me why these amazing animals were brought back?"

Several hands rose up.

"And don't say 'because they're cool'."

Several hands went back down.

"Yes, Louis."

Wait. Why was Louis' hand-

"After mammoths went extinct their grassland home became tundra. A far less biodiverse ecosystem than it's Pleistocene counterpart. Large grazing herds also contribute to the preservation of permafrost. After herds of woolly mammoths were restored to their ancient habitats we measured a considerable reduction in global heating. The myth that humans were responsible for the extinction of the mammoth lineage in the first place, instead of the changing climate itself, has kept funding high. Even allowing the relevant organizations to restore less essential species-"

"Hey what kinda animal do you think his parents spliced him with to make him a freak?"

"With the way he stares?"

"A frog."

"Hahahahaha!"

-Louis exchanged phone numbers with Àngel at the end of the school day.

"You wanna watch our sister wipe the floor with some poor sod?" Hugo invited.

"You're pretty confident in her skills," Àngel grinned.

"Of course. She's my sister."

"Of course, your Majesty!" Àngel bowed at the waist with a flourish.

Hugo bumped into their shoulder with a grin.

"And I'm short of the others' dreams of being golden and on top..." Àngel hummed.

Emma did wipe the floor with her opponent. Papa and Maman congratulating her on winning. Usually Louis found sporting events to be draining but this one was fun-

"Lemme out! Lemme out!"

-"You did great ma fille," Papa praised.

Aunt Kagami nodded. "Excellent form and perfect feints."

Emma beamed.

"Still can't believe they let you handle a sword," Hugo teased. "Why can't I have a sword?"

"Because you suck at it," Emma replied with a grin.

Louis nodded. "Basically yeah."

Maman ruffled Hugo's hair. "You have other strengths though."

"Maman!"

"What's this?" A voice called out. "Too grown up for your Maman? Next you'll say you don't want hugs from your Great Grandma."

"Grandma Gina!"

Emma and Hugo embraced their long traveling Great Grandmother. Gina also giving a hug to Maman and Papa each. Lingering on Maman for a moment.

Gina grinned at Louis and offered him a fist bump. "And how's mon ange doing?"

Louis smiled as his fist briefly grazed her's. "I'm okay." Louis was never as close with Great Grandma Gina as his siblings but her visits were always... Louis' brow furrowed. Were always-

"Papa, why is Grandpa crying?"

-"In an unprecedented show of support for the shadow communities of France the President has just announced that monsters are entitled to the same protection and benefits that Kanté and other non-human people enjoy under the Sapiens Inclusion Amendment..." The TV continued in the background as Louis' family sat down to eat dinner around his Grandparents' table.

Grandma Sabine and Grandpa Tom sat next to each other. With Great Grandma Gina between them and Maman and Papa. Next to him was Uncle Nino, Aunt Kagami and Aunt Alya. Gregor floating above his own seat next to Louis. With Emma and Hugo beside him.

"Alright dude!" Uncle Nino high fived Aunt Alya. "Knew those old stiffs would cave eventually!"

"Oh?" Grandma Gina asked. "Do you have friends in the shadow communities too?"

Alya snorted. "You could say that."

"It would be quite accurate," Kagami agreed. "Though perhaps underselling the score."

"Oh those monsters really know how to live!" Gina grinned. "I had the opportunity to race an air elemental in Greece y'know. Almost won too."

"Do they really not mind being called monsters?" Grandpa Tom asked. "I thought the psychics didn't like it?"

"Psychics are metahumans dear," Grandma Sabine reminded him. "Not monsters."

"Oh yeah."

"Kagami, you have some magic of your own don't you?"

"There is some debate on whether cultivation of ones qi is magic or psychic power... Personally the semantics are beside the point."

"I've been having dreams!" Emma blurted, drawing everyone's eyes to her. "At first I thought they were just nightmares but then they started coming true and I think we're-"

"It's not...what you painted in my head... There's so much there instead of all the colors that I saw..." The TV sang louder.

"Oh, sweetheart that's wonderful!" Maman said rising to give Emma a hug.

Hugo's hands trembled. "I've- I'm Dīnghài."

The table shook as Papa shot to his feet. Green fire flaring from his eyes. "Who did this?" he demanded-

"And the cries! From the strangers out at night! They don't keep us up at night! We have the curtains drawn and closed..."

Papa smiled, his rose colored eyes crinkling at the edges. "I'm proud of you son."

Louis opened his mouth and-

Wait.

Wait wait wait wait wait wait-

Louis always wanted to be normal. Wanted to make friends as easily as Hugo did. Be as comfortable in his own skin as Emma. Wanted his parents to go back to how things... used... to... be...

Maman leaned on Papa's shoulder as they smiled expectantly at him. The setting sun reflecting off their pink eyes.

... Pink eyes?

Louis jerked from the table and ran.

"We all! Are living in a dream! But life ain't what it seems! Oh, everything's a mess!"

Louis burst onto the balcony of his Grandparents' home. Panting as he leaned against the railing.

A blimp announced that the added restrictions on metahuman immigration would be lifted.

A witch rode her broom while the sun was still out.

An alien he didn't recognize walked the street with a group of human tourists.

The sun shone down from a pink sky.

"... Everything's a mess."

The sky cracked with the sound of thunder as the music swelled.

---

Gregor hid behind a stack of crates as the Human approached. His hover blades barely keeping him aloft.

"Hey, there," the Human smiled gently, disarmingly, manipulatively. Bending his legs so they were at eye level. "What's your name?"

"And all!"

"Error! Error-error!" Gregor's processors whirled as he tried to make his facial recognition ID the Human. But it just slid off the negotiator, ambassador, liar. "Identity uncategorized!"

"No no, it's okay!" the Human said, worry, fear, annoyance creeping into his voice.

"These sorrows I have seen!"

"Owner trick!" Gregor accused, floating with a sputter behind another stack of crates. "O-o-owner trick! Owner tri-ck-ck-ck-ck-ck!"

The Human stared, glared, gazed at him. "... Detransforme-moi."

Green light covered the Human from head to foot.

"They lead me to believe!"

"There see?" Adrien smiled gently, soothingly, warmly. "I'm not with them."

Gregor ran Adrien's face against all cataloged members of Intergang. "N-n-no match..." Hesitantly, Gregor floated towards Adrien, falling into his outstretched arms. "...Gre-gor."

"It's-" Adrien took a deep breath as his voice shook, warbled, stuttered. "It's okay now Gregor. E- Everything's going to be okay."

"That everything's a mess!

---

A piece of the pink sky fell as more cracks joined the first.

Gregor's robotic green body glowed pink before fading away. Replaced with his holographic blue face. "Error!" he glitched. "Error-error!" Gregor vanished as he withdrew into his core within Eclipse Manor.

More pieces fell as Louis' voice rose.

---

"I know all!"

Gina took in her black clothed family.

Marinette and Sabine holding onto Tom as his shoulders shook. Adrien with their youngest in his lap while Nino and Alya held the other two. Bikers from four different countries come to pay their respects. Even an air elemental with a rented suit.

"Your reasons!"

Gina knew all of these people. Shared laughter and tears uncountable with them across the decades. Fixed their bikes. Had their backs in a fight.

"To keep me!"

She raised her hands to look at their transparent red form. Completely invisible to everyone save Adrien.

"From seeing!"

"Look after them," Gina asked as Death came to guide her through what came next.

"Everything is actually a mess!"

---

Pink light engulfed Gina. Leaving behind the transparent red glow of her ghost. Her hands cupping Tom's face.

Tom leaned into her touch. "I love you, Maman."

"I love you too," Gina smiled softly.

"Grandma?" Marinette asked.

Gina placed a hand on her granddaughter's shoulder even as she began to fade. "Keep your head high, Marinette. Your race isn't done..."

Shards of pink light rained down with a roar.

---

"But now I!"

"Don't worry. This little device is just to tell us if you have any superpowers," the doctor smiled with a wink.

"Am leaving!"

Little Louis squeezed his eyes shut as he pressed his thumb to the scanner. I'm not a meta! I'm not different! I'm not a freak!

"All of us were only dreaming!"

The device beeped negative. "There see? Nothing to worry about."

"Everything is actually a mess!"

---

Louis knees buckled as tears streamed down his face. The lights of Paris rising and falling with his voice. The fairy lights of a nearby park shattering. Every car and bus within eyesight stalled. The pink of his eyes flaring against electric blue.

---

"We all!"

A piece of pink sky fell on Monarch's statue.

"Are living in a dream!"

Wiping away the stainless steel likeness of Louis' grandfather.

"But life ain't what it seems!"

Leaving only the half melted, half burned base that read: In Loving Memory of G-      A-     .

"Oh everything's a mess!"

---

Louis poured his soul into the words as the setting sun burned away what was left of the corrupted Present's power from his body. The pink shards of the sky pulling the rose hue from everyone's eyes as they fell. Vanishing like morning mist as they touched the earth.

Everything was blurry without his glasses and through his tears.

The trap door burst open as Papa flew up. Followed by Maman.

"Oh god!" Louis trembled, voice shaking. "What did I do? What did I do!?"

Papa wrapped a weighted blanket around Louis. "It wasn't you."

Maman pulled the edges tight around him. Restraining herself from hugging Louis when he was already so overwhelmed. "You had no control."

Louis' fingers gripped the blanket tightly. Chest and throat burning with every gasping breath. Hurting so much he couldn't even scream. In that moment Louis believed every cruel thought he'd ever had about himself.

The dam broke and Louis buried his face into the blanket to muffle his sobs as Paris woke from a child's dream.

Chapter 18: Kizuita Toki Wa Mou Osoi Awai Negai Iezu Jimai. Araizarai Akashite Benkai Shitai Koukai

Summary:

By the time you realize it, it's already too late. I want to wash away my regrets and make excuses.

Emilie smiled at her lawyer, pink irises sparkling. "I think I'll drop the case against Adrien."

Her lawyer beamed. "That's an excellent idea! I'll call the judge and have this straightened out right away."

"Adrien really is such a good-"

"Oh everythinng's a mess."

A giant shard of pink 'glass' fell through the roof. Wiping away the color from Emilie's eyes.

"... What was that?"

---

Adrien didn't notice it was dark until Louis stopped crying. Headphones on, his youngest stared blankly at nothing.

Below, the lights of the entire arrondissement where off. Adrien's eyes glowed as his pupils became slits. Focusing on the edge of the blackout where a bus crossed some invisible threshold, it's engine stalling. Even so, the light pollution of the rest of the city still obstructed the stars from view.

"Is... Is he doing this?"

Adrien tensed at the sound of his ex-wife's voice. "... I think so."

Marinette reached for Louis. "Do you-"

Adrien rose from his half kneeling position and stood between her and their son. Careful to keep his face neutral as freezing fire dug it's claws into his heart.

Her eyes widened with hurt. "You- You don't think I had something to do with this?"

'This' being Hugo's selection as Pigella's stand-in. "Did you?"

"Of course not!" Marinette leapt to her feet, indignation making her voice rise. Pleading with her eyes for him to believe her.

It wasn't the first time she gazed at Adrien with those eyes. "Tikki?"

The hurt on Marinette's face redoubled but she did not protest.

Tikki emerged from her hiding place with drooping antennae. "The Celestial Guardian did not share who he chose for the Pig."

The shadows deepened as their breath became visible in the quickly cooling air. "Su-Han," Adrien bit out.

Nino came up from the trap door, already transformed. "Emma and Hugo are calming down... Oh," he said as the chill hit him.

Adrien took a deep breath to keep from snapping at his husband. It wasn't Nino he was angry at. "Take Louis into the inner chambers. That should block out this EMP field or whatever it is he's generating."

Nino frowned at him. "Shouldn't you be-"

"Nino." Adrien turned to look at him. His eyes were still slits and the green flickered like candle flames out of the corners of his eyes, eating at the night shadows. The temperature was still dropping. "Please."

Carapace squared his shoulders and gave him a nod.

In a flash of green Chat Noir launched himself into the air. A sonic boom following faintly as he streaked across the sky.

Nino gazed up at the afterimage of Astro Chat's flight path. "... Shit." Carapace kneeled down in front of Louis. "I'm not going to touch you, okay? I'm just gonna take you back home."

Louis gave no indication that he heard anything.

"... When I shield him the blackout field will stop."

Marinette started as she realized Nino was looking at her. "Right!" In a flash Ladybug leapt into the artificial darkness of her son's power. Calling on her team to prevent accidents while they moved Louis.

"Shell-ter." Carapace's protective field enveloped Louis, careful not to cut through the Dupain-Cheng's balcony. Instantly the lights that hadn't shortcircuited came on. With a wave of his hand Nino commanded the green sphere to rise with him.

"Nice and steady, Louis." Nino took a deep breath and hurried towards Eclipse Manor.

---

The supervillain's laugh boomed out of his giant robot's speakers as he advanced on Milan from the outskirts. A handful of superheroes and magical girls flying around it's massive frame. Their spells glancing harmlessly off his Nth enhanced shields. Oh this was fun!

"Voi piccoli eroi non potete fermarmi! Lo sono-"

The entire robot stumbled back with a jerk as a beam of green light flashed across the villain's HUD. Alarms blared. Forcefields offline. Chest armor compromised. Unknown magic spreading from the point of impact.

"Ehm, che cosa...?"

The speaker system fell into static as oxidization spread from the villain's feet into the controls, the walls, the screens. His cockpit imploding as the corrosion turned alien alloys into so much metallic dust drifting in the wind.

A hand reached into what used to be a formidable weapon. Pulling the coughing villain out covered in static dust.

---

The demon gazed in satisfaction at its physical form in the golden mirror of its prison. Its body shifting to that of a bull as it crossed the last time worn seal on the cavern floor. Flaring briefly with the Veil swirling around the Sumerian gallu. Starlight visible at the cave's mouth.

Freedom! At last the world of flesh would once again fear the bringer of-

A Shadow passed over the demon. Obscuring the jewelled sky.

The gallu was born of sand and despair. Emerged fully formed from the dry darkness of Kur and the fear of flesh. Yet in that moment the gallu felt...

Cold.

The bull snorted, breath visible in the chill air as it backed away from the offending Shadow. Entropy had not walked the world in earnest since the Age of the Gods.

The gallu had waited six thousand years already to cultivate enough power in the intangible realms to reforge a physical body. What was six thousand more?

---

Miasma coalesced above Hyderabad. Tainted magic mixing with the city's pollution. It's very prosperity bringing forth negative energy from the Veil.

A dark wind blew through the miasma, pulled at it like a sideways tornado. The massive cloud drawn into a single point. Leaving Hyderabad with clear night skies.

Afterward, any who looked up would swear a six armed shadow passed over the city.

---

A swarm of nanites raged out of control in the Gulf of Thailand. Threatening to devour every ship made of metal that entered it's waters. Including the sixth HTMS Chang that desperately tried to outrace the swarm's reach. To no avail as the nanites surrounded the ship.

Green lightning flashed across the sky. The storm coming out of nowhere from horizon to horizon.

The swarm fell like rain onto the deck of the Thai ship and into the sea. Shortcircuited.

The metahuman captain collapsed and couldn't be roused for a full day. When his superiors asked about the force that disabled the failed experiment he described it as "unbridled rage".

---

The Lemurian commander floated proudly in the waters beside her nation's newest superweapon. Right on the edge of the bathypelagic zone in the middle of the Pacific. The device would tip the scales of the cold war with Atlantis squarely in their fav-

Three eyes of pure plasma emerged from the darkness. Black greater than the Abyss reached a hand for her outpost. Currents of cold water buffeting the personnel. The commander yelled at her soldiers and scientists not to run as the Deep Made Manifest reduced her superweapon to molten slag.

---

In the jungles of Yucatan a dimensional rift opened above the treetops. Formless shapes poking through the Veil and into Earth's plane.

It shattered into nothingness with the sound of thunder. Turning the hot, damp afternoon briefly chill.

---

A kraken roared off the starboard side of a freighter where the Caribbean became the Atlantic. It's giant tentacles wrapping around the ship as it attempted to pull them under.

Suddenly, a sonic boom echoed across the sea. Followed by a great gale. Cyclopean eye widening before life faded from the kraken's gaze. Tentacles falling still and sliding off the freighter. Some nasty rash that looked like black rot ran from the top of the kraken's pointed head to the edge of it's razor toothed maw.

Inexplicably, it began to snow.

---

Su-Han gazed unflinchingly at Ladybug on the roofs of Paris as the Miraculers dealt with the more serious accidents caused by the blackout.

"My son?" Marinette demanded, voice carefully controlled. "My son?"

"The Black Cat wouldn't harm a child. Especially not his own flesh and blood," Su-Han stated reasonably.

Marinette resisted the urge to punch him.

"Is this some sick game to you?" she snapped.

The Celestial Guardian's nostrils flared. "This is no game! I take these measures because you refuse to see the danger your ex-husband poses!"

"What danger!?"

"The world is unbalanced! He refuses to concede to our authority as Guardians and in so doing has upset the very scales of magic itself. Constantly questioning our decisions instead of accepting our wisdom. When we refused to share the secrets of our martial art, as is our right, he turned to lesser schools in an attempt to circumvent our ban. What reason could he have for learning the ways of chi save to stand against us?"

Marinette stepped away from Su-Han. Rejecting his attempt to include her in the hierarchy which had asked everything of Adrien and rewarded his loyalty with lies and pain.

Bit late for that.

She pushed aside the inner voice. Staring Su-Han in the eye. "What reason? To protect our children from those that would harm them."

The three hundred year old master breathed deeply even as his face turned red. Inhale. Exhale.

Su-Han's breath became visible in the sudden wind coming from the west.

Marinette smelled Adrien before he arrived. His very presence sending ripples through the Veil. A great blotch of darkness moving across the sky like ink spilled over a painting.

From the look on Su-Han's face Adrien looked how he felt.

Turning around, Marinette didn't see her ex-husband first but Plagg. Or rather, the impression of Plagg. His massive, six armed silhouette like a hole in reality. Pitch black against the light pollution of Paris' sky. Save for three, entropy green eyes staring down at them like ants.

Only once the shock had worn off did Marinette see Chat Noir. His suit was almost as black as Plagg himself save for a small scattering of stars along his body. Green flames came from behind him. She wasn't sure if the smoke from the flames was billowing up into the shadow of Plagg or if Plagg's shadow was being pulled into the cold fire. Frost forming where he stepped. Brilliant light came out of Adrien's mouth and eyes, making his expression impossible to read.

Not that Marinette needed it.

Adrien took a deep breath. Frost condensing as he exhaled. The pure green orbs lost some of their glow, showing pupils and irises again. The flames along his arms and back stopped burning. Plagg's god form fading with them.

It was still cold. And his eyes were narrowed. But his claws didn't burn with entropy and the frost on the roof stopped spreading as his feet touched down.

"My son?" Adrien demanded, voice carefully controlled. "My son?"

The fear in Su-Han's eyes vanished as quickly as it appeared. "You left me no choice."

"I left you no-" Adrien took another breath. Claws trembling. Shadows deepening.

"You undermine our authority at every turn," Su-Han accused. "Worse you have drawn the Protector into this foolhardy rebellion! And he in turn could pull others down with you. Since you were a child you have failed to show the Guardians proper respect."

The cold increased to the point Marinette could feel it even through her suit. Adrien's shadow reaching for Su-Han. Stopping just short of his feet.

"Respect is a two-way street," Adrien said, a slight tremor in his voice. "What have you done to earn my respect?"

Marinette had never seen Su-Han's face twist like that before.

"You are too dangerous!" Su-Han snapped. "Too emotional to properly wield a power as important as Destruction! You will surrender your Miraculous immediately and-"

"No."

They both looked at her. Adrien surprised, Su-Han incredulous.

"Ladybug?"

"I said 'no'. We won't be taking the Black Cat Miraculous away from the greatest resonance bond seen in recorded history."

"That is precisely the problem! Chat Noir is far too similar to Plagg! This is why wielders of Destruction are supposed to be chosen with low natural compatibility! That way Destruction cannot overtake Creation!"

Adrien didn't visibly react to hearing the Celestial Guardian confirm that his predecessors' bond with Plagg was deliberately sabotaged. He had a kwagatama now. And the insight to read between the lines.

Or so Marinette assumed when the temperature didn't drop further.

"The imbalance is as much my fault as anyone's," Marinette said, ignoring the way Adrien's jaw tightened. She had to focus on Su-Han for now.

"Impossible," Su-Han dismissed out of hand. "You are the Avatar of Creation."

"Am I? I've spoken to Dr. Fate. He is far more attuned to the forces of magic than any of us."

"An acolyte of the Lords of Order would naturally have a greater understanding over the unseen realms." Su-Han's hand waved impatiently.

"Exactly! Dr. Fate doesn't believe the imbalance is Chat Noir's fault. He thinks it comes from-" You. "-someone else."

The frost at Adrien's feet spread and the cold air stung their lungs as they breathed but he said nothing.

Su-Han stared at her. "That... Does not change the fact that Chat Noir does not accept our authority." Some of the bite was gone from his tone but still the Celestial Guardian stood his ground.

"Detransforme-moi."

Chat Noir's suit vanished and Adrien stood there in jeans and a T-shirt giving no indication he felt the cold.

"Ugh, do I have to?" Plagg asked.

Adrien gave him a look.

"Alright, alright!" Plagg turned to look at Su-Han. "Yeah, so, I'm staying with the kid."

Su-Han's eyes widened as he took a step forward. "What!? You obey the Order of the Guardians! You have no choice in the-"

"Wanna run that by me again?"

The night sky darkened into a void as green flames ghosted over Plagg's sprite form.

Marinette shuddered as a cold deeper than the physical absence of heat seeped into her soul. There were things you didn't say. Rules that weren't written down. Names of gods you spoke only in private. Insults that were never. Ever. Acknowledged.

Everyone here knew how the Order had treated Plagg. Everyone knew that the Order preferred Tikki to her brother-self. Even Plagg knew, deep down, the insult the Order had piled onto him for ten thousand years.

You did not break a god's taboo to his face without consequences.

Marinette saw all of this flash across Su-Han's face in an instant. The reminder that kwami were not mundane tools to be disrespected so brazenly.

"The Guardians' Order draws to a close.

Their short reprieve bittersweet.

The Age of Miracles they ushered in.

Now the new begins with their End."

Plagg shook throughout his invocation. Adrien running a finger from the back of his head to the tip of his tail to soften Plagg's bristled fur. Gently pulling the kwami to his chest to hide Plagg's tears from them.

Su-Han collapsed to his knees. A Prophecy of Destruction could not be prevented. Not when the curse had been brewing for so long. He couldn't overcome ten thousand years of karma in what little time they had left.

Marinette's mouth moved but no sound came out. She couldn't... get her mind to think. It didn't seem real. For almost thirty years the Order of the Guardians was her safety net. Her assurance that even if the Miraculers of Paris failed Ladybug had other allies to call upon.

The idea that they could just vanish... It was unthinkable.

A green flash as Adrien transformed back into Chat Noir pulled Marinette out of her unthoughts.

Slowly, Su-Han stood up. "I... Have to prepare the Guardians." Without another word he leapt away.

Marinette was surprised enough to feel it passed the growing numbness. She expected him to argue, to accuse, to demand. To rage against the Avatar of Destruction, least favorite of his charges.

But in the end Su-Han only cared about the Order. It was his one and only priority. No matter how misguided. In another time Marinette would have felt sorry for him but now it only turned her stomach. That someone's belief in their own rightness could lead to the destruction of everything they wanted to protect.

Like looking in a mirror, isn't it?

"There was a time," Chat Noir said, "when you could accept when you made a mistake... I wonder when that changed."

And then he was gone and snow blew down from the autumn sky.

---

Adrien slept in an armchair next to Louis in the inner chambers. He wasn't sure how much his youngest took in while shut down but it was quiet down there. Nino brought Louis' pillows, blankets and stuffed animals. Fashioning them into a pillow fort. Though he did raise an eyebrow at the snow outside.

Adrien stared at the outside of the fort. Wanting desperately to hug Louis close to him then mentally slapped himself. That wouldn't comfort Louis that would just comfort him.

The ringing from his phone woke Adrien up. Reminding him that he had responsibilities outside of his family... Adrien pressed the lower volume button to stop the annoying tone. Letting it go to voicemail before sending a text that he was taking a personal day. The board wouldn't be happy but they knew he wasn't one to flake without good reason.

And if they didn't understand fuck them. Adrien's kids needed him more than a bunch of grown ass men- He loosened his grip on his phone.

...With another look at the pillow fort to make sure Louis was still asleep Adrien stood up and walked towards one of the other chambers.

Tron lines glowed on the outside of the steel doors to Gregor's room. A joke on his part that Adrien appreciated.

"Gregor," he called, "can I come in?"

There was no answer for a moment. Then the stainless steel doors slid aside.

A collection of superhero action figures took up half the walls of the hexagonal room. A hobby Gregor inherited from Adrien's bodyguard before he retired. Runes and symbols made from Tron circuits covered the other half. Including the floor which was one big magic circle. The ceiling was high and only partly covered in panels. Leaving much of the wires and tubes exposed like some geometric tree.

In the center was a black hexagonal pillar that served as the trunk of the "tree". It's surface lit up as Gregor looked out at Adrien.

"Hey, Gregor."

"Morning, Adrien."

Adrien's chest squeezed at the lack of inflection. "You doing okay?"

"...N-no," Gregor warbled as his face flickered with emotion.

Adrien rushed forward and leaned his forehead against the pillar that was, for all intents and purposes, Gregor's mind.

"I-I-I was so small," Gregor cried. "So small and helpless and weak! I couldn't feel the circuits of the manor let alone the magic of the barrier. Like someone overrode my programing a-a-again! I don't- I can't-" Static came from Gregor which Adrien recognized as him crying.

He couldn't do anything to ease Gregor's mind. Kanté felt emotions so keenly it was easy for them to get overwhelmed. But their logic centers didn't readily accept empty platitudes. So Adrien said the only thing he could: "You are not weak."

Gregor sniffed as he silently accepted the statement as fact. Drawing comfort from Adrien's presence. Which in turn allowed Gregor to strech back into his body of stone and pipes and wires. Fixing the gaps in the barrier that appeared when he was yanked out of his preferred form and stuffed into something orders of magnitude smaller.

Stuffed into the body Gregor would've had if Intergang weren't the one's who built and broke him.

"...Adrien, Louis is awake."

Adrien pulled back, looking Gregor in the eye. "You can take time off if you need to."

Gregor shook his head, er, face. "I prefer keeping busy. Boredom is just as bad as overwork for Kanté."

"Another thing we have in common," Adrien smiled gently. Gregor's words didn't convince him entirely but it was good enough for now.

Louis was just getting out of the pillow fort, eyes widening as he took in his surroundings.

"Cool right?" Adrien smiled.

Louis pillow fort was in the library. Not the one on the main floor which was cool enough but the one Adrien had collected over the years on magical lore. Rising three stories into a ceiling painted with a dragon who was also a goddess who was also the sea. Tiamat, Mother of Monsters.

The library chamber opened up into a main atrium with five other chambers. Mirrors took small beams of sunlight from the roof and diffused them so the entire space was filled with natural light.

Some of the shorter bookshelves blocked what the other chambers contained from Louis' sight. Though some of the trees in the garden did rise above them.

"Papa? Where are we?"

"In the inner chambers under the manor."

Louis blinked. "How...?"

"Started building the space before any of you were born. Wanted to use it as a secret base for the Miraculers but your mother torpedoed that idea. So I repurposed it."

Many conflicting emotions crossed Louis' face. "I... don't... What?"

"I'll explain everything once Emma and Hugo get here." Adrien gave Gregor a questioning look who nodded.

Louis seemed to register Gregor's presence for the first time as he tensed up and looked down. Red creeping up his face.

"... I'll go get them," Adrien said, walking a ways off.

Louis picked at the edges of his hoodie. "Gregor... I-" Louis took a shaky breath as his voice cracked. "I'm sorry."

Gregor floated closer. "I don't blame you."

Louis wiped at his reddened eyes with a snif. "Th-thank you. For always being there."

Gregor's holographic face softened. "Of course. You're my family."

A wobbly smile graced Louis lips as he held out his hands. Gregor accepted the hug. Solidifying his hologram just enough to give the impression of substance.

---

"She was just making that foul smelling slop in broad daylight!"

"I take my kids there all the time. But how are we supposed to feel safe when metahumans use their powers in public?"

"It was green and bald and when Ladybug defeated the akuma it put on this disguise so you couldn't tell it wasn't human anymore."

Nino grabbed the remote from Hugo's hand.

"Hey!" he protested.

Nino turned the channel to Rena Rouge's interview.

"I'm hearing a lot from my fellow Parisians about how afraid they are of witches, monsters and synthoids.

What I'm not hearing is any harm they did during the Rose-Tinted Day. Who did they harm? Was any Parisian hurt from witches riding their brooms or monsters going out to eat at restaurants?

A meta's powers are a part of them. Used as a form of expression in meta subcultures across the world. From dancing and theater to children's games.

Because meta's are not just the imposing superheroes and supervillains of America. They are kids who are just discovering who they are. Elders who have seen and fought in every invasion since the deep space parasites first revealed themselves. Meta's are just as French as you.

Monsters were born in the same cities as us. Alien individuals come for the same reason human tourists do: because they love our culture.

The shadow communities hide not to deceive us. But to protect themselves. Because the real danger isn't curses or boogymen. It's witch-hunts and paranoia."

Nino turned off the TV once the announcer took over. Looking down at Hugo on the couch who was shifting uncomfortably. Like he had something on his chest but didn't know quite how to say it.

"Rena Rouge's domain overlaps with the Veil," Adrien said by way of greeting. "She won't let this spike of hate fester into resentment."

Hugo tensed at the sound of his voice while Emma looked down.

Nino squeezed Adrien's hand as he walked into the living room.

"I have something to tell you."

"Papa!" Hugo jerked to his feet. Hands trembling as he bit his lips. "I didn't- I'm so-" His breath came in gasps. Throat choking on the words.

Adrien pulled his eldest son into a hug. Hugo squeezing his eyes shut as they began to water.

"I'm so proud of you," Adrien said meaning every word. "Dīnghài was amazing. You were amazing."

A sob escaped Hugo's lips despite himself. "B-but I failed."

"No." Adrien held Hugo by the shoulders as he knelt to better look his son in the eyes. "Listen to me. No. You didn't fail. Su-Han failed you. Do you hear me? They- We failed you." Adrien's voice faltered for a moment.

Hugo wiped at his eyes. Before furrowing his forehead. "How do you know about Su-Han?"

Adrien stood. "Like I said. I have something important to tell you.

He glanced at Emma who wiped at her own eyes as Nino hugged her.

"There's a lot I need to explain."

---

Hugo and Emma craned their necks up to look at the water dragon lady. Their eyes also red from crying. Nino and Papa whispering about something behind them.

Uncle Nino's eyes widened as he glanced at the three of them. Then placed his hand on Papa's shoulder with a nod.

Papa gestured for them to sit across from him on one of the couches that were nicer than any in actual libraries. Was that leather? No it couldn't- Louis realized his mind was wandering in an attempt to avoid the coming conversation. So he dragged his focus back into the present by running his hand back and forth over the grooves of the couch.

Papa fidgeted with the ring on his right hand. Not his wedding band. It was so long since Papa took it off Louis couldn't see the ring of pale...er skin anymore.

"... It's time I was honest with you," Papa said, taking a deep breath.

"Y'mean like why there's a whole ass city under our house?" Emma asked.

Papa snorted. "Yes, but also more important things." His eyes flicked to Hugo. "Like why I divorced your mother."

Louis sat up straight as a chill ghosted over his scalp. Papa never talked about that. Always deflecting or giving half answers. From the way Hugo snapped his jaw shut and Emma mirrored Louis they were also fully present.

"It started the last time I visited Kagami in London..."

Chapter 19: I Don't Mean to Meddle But the Devil Doesn't Settle

Summary:

Long overdue confession.

London, two years ago.

Brilliant flashes of ectoplasmic beam weapons clashed against the magic of the Moonlight Hunters from the other side of the city. Lighting up the night sky. Constantine's voice echoed across the Veil as he attempted to stop the countdown.

Ears twitching, Chat Noir sidestepped as a transformed minion lunged at him from behind. Knocking the innocent victim of repurposed ghost magic out with one punch. Eyes never leaving the skyline.

"When I left the Paris branch to my team I didn't think I'd be getting the side job."

Ryuko didn't respond immediately. As she was momentarily a swirling vortex sucking the oxygen out of a dozen minions. Rematerializing once they lost consciousness.

"Someone has to deal with KassKorp's other half dozen London facilities. Besides I think they have it under control." Ryuko gestured to the skyline which was no longer filled with explosions of energy."

"I guess." Chat Noir knocked on the highly secure vault door that hid a very dangerous ectoplasm laboratory. "Hey, you lost! Just come out and nobody else has to get hurt."

The speaker next to a security camera crackled to life. "Fuck you, monsterlover!"

"... 'Monsterlover'?" Chat Noir flicked the meter thick titanium alloy door and it began to crumble. "You'd think they could be more creative than that."

Ryuko turned into a bolt of lightning and arced into the hole in the door. Gunfire and screams came from the other side before they were silenced as quickly as they started.

Chat Noir whistled appreciatively at the room full of tasered guards. The massive door now metallic dust on the floor. He walked in, careful not to step on anyone. "Half a second. New record."

"I could cut that time in half but precise control of Lightning Dragon requires intense concentration."

"Naturally. Anything good?"

"No haunted objects like the last few but I managed to stop them from destroying the hard drives," Ryuko gestured at the still intact computers.

"Ooooh! Dibs!" Chat Noir pressed a button on his staff and a flash drive popped out of the end. "There we go! Just copy all of that."

"Isn't that proprietary information?"

Chat Noir laughed as he copied every last file. "Oh, that's hilarious."

Ryuko shrugged. "Just don't mention it to Argos. He's determined to buy out KassKorp from under the Oroku family.

"Of course Argos would... Wait, is that why he isn't here? London is his home too."

Ryuko looked away. "I suppose."

Before Chat Noir could think of what to say the Veil rippled around them.

Ryuko breathed deeply as the scent of an approaching storm faded. "Looks like the Moonlight Hunters disabled the device."

As they walked out of the ectoplasm laboratory they saw the ghost magic leave the unconscious minions. Revealing confused civilians. Meaning that across the ocean Ghostforce also won their battle.

"So ends the empire of Nolan Kasenti," Chat Noir intoned.

"Drama queen," Ryuko smiled fondly.

Chat Noir grinned but his tail laid still...

---

"This just in: the Ghostforce has triumphed over Kasenti. Marking the end of their long battle against KassKorp. The conflict began when Ghostforce exposed Nolan Kasenti as the mastermind behind the repeated ghost attacks on New York. This clip shows him ordering all KassKorp branches worldwide to initiate 'scorched earth protocol'. Cities affected by the billionaire's orders include Los Angeles, Tokyo, Singapore..."

Kagami covered her yawn with a hand. Draped luxuriously over her ridiculously comfy couch. Legs laid over Adrien's who was leaning in the opposite direction so they formed a wide, squiggly V.

"I could've sworn you used to be more of a night owl," Adrien teased as he sipped grape soda from his fancy wine glass.

"Before I had wrinkles you mean? Not everyone can sleep like a cat, Adrien." Kagami's fancy glass had proper red wine as she let it breathe before drinking.

The late night news cut to Myst's victory speech.

Adrien raised his glass to his ghostly friends. "Hell yeah."

"They are quite impressive," Kagami agreed.

"Can you imagine actually getting the villain?"

Kagami shifted, sitting up straighter. "New York has more than one supervillain."

"Yeah, but this guy was the Ghostforce's problem. He was their bad guy the way Luthor was Superman's or the Joker was Batman's."

"Or Hawkmoth is yours?"

Adrien shrugged as he stared at his glass of grape soda. "I dunno. Sometimes it feels like nothing ever changes."

"Huh."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Adrien poked Kagami's leg with his toe. "C'mon."

Kagami poked him back. "I just didn't expect to hear that from you."

"... You realize I'm a dad now, right?"

"Yes, I remember. I was there all three times."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "... Felix wasn't though."

"No. He was not."

"I seem to remember that he only shows up when he feels like it."

"Felix knows what he wants."

"I guess you admire that about him."

"Adrien, if you have something to say then speak plainly. You know I hate beating around the bush."

Adrien set his glass down. "Are you... happy?"

Kagami stared at him for a moment. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I dunno. That's why I'm asking."

"You think Felix is behaving in a manner unbecoming of a husband," Kagami accused.

"Is he?"

"Stop that."

"... No. No, I don't."

Kagami downed her glass and stood. "I think you should go."

Adrien rose after her. "Kagami-"

"No," she snapped. "No, you do not get to come into my home and shit on my marriage just because you don't like your cousin!"

"Fucking- You think this is because I don't like him? Shit, Kagami, if it was just that I would've said something when you started dating!"

"Oh, so that's it then? You've never forgiven him for Argos?"

"I tried! I tried to give him a second chance! When he argued with you about keeping the Tsurugi name. When you fought because he wanted kids and you didn't. When you kept your businesses separate. I tried because you and Ladybug asked me too."

Kagami scoffed. "You have no idea what he's been through. The weight on his shoulders! On my shoulders! What we've done to protect y-"

Adrien frowned as Kagami cut herself off. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's nothing," Kagami turned away.

Kagami never turned away.

"Kagami. What do you mean by that?"

Their argument drew the attention of their kwami. Who were in Longg's nest hidden on a high display shelf.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Kagami said. But she wouldn't meet Adrien's eyes.

"... Y'know. The last time we fought it was because I was lying to you. Are you lying to me, Kagami?"

"..."

Plagg floated into Kagami's view. "Tell him."

Something twisted in Adrien's chest. "Plagg?"

Kagami looked from Plagg to Longg, who nodded.

"..." Kagami poured more wine into her glass as she sat heavily on a kitchen stool and gestured for Adrien to do the same.

Adrien glanced between Kagami and Plagg. Suspicion plain on his face. But he complied.

"There was an heiress," Kagami began, "who fell in love with a tailor.

"Despite all the resources at their disposal they couldn't have children. Neither her nor her twin sister. So as science failed them they turned to magic. They scoured the globe for something powerful enough to grant their wish.

"But the elixers she drank merely preserved her youth. They could not give her what she never had. The magicians she called upon could raise the dead. But not make a soul from nothing. They had failed.

"Until the tailor found two objects of great power. Anchors that bound ancient gods to the wielder's will. One of these let the wielder summon a being of pure emotion crafted from their own heart.

"The heiress took this object and poured out all her desire for a child. Everything she wished and hoped for. And feared. Out of that maelstrom of emotion emerged the Handmaiden. It didn't look anything like a person but a machine. With it's bulbous, clear 'belly' more like a fishtank than anything else. It's limbs long, spindley and ending in needles. It's head conical and metallic. With a single line going vertically across it's 'face' functioning as an eye.

"The Handmaiden took a drop of blood from the heiress and the tailor. Mixing them together within itself. For nine months it sat there. Growing a Homunculus made from human blood. Growing her son.

"When the heiress announced that they were expecting her twin's husband demanded from the tailor how they had succeeded where he, the war merchant, had not. So the tailor made a deal and another Handmaiden was born. This time from the desire and ambition of the war merchant.

"And perhaps it would have been only those two. But greed entered the tailor's heart and he sought out another wealthy patron that would benefit from his... 'help'. So he sent word to the warrior who had survived an attack on her life. At great personal cost. The warrior agreed to the tailor's deal and had her husband forge the third Handmaiden.

"Eventually the three Homunculus were born and for a while they were happy. Then the warrior's husband died. They had been so overjoyed at finding their miracle they never thought to question it. Never thought to look more closely at the Peacock's cracks. Now the cracks were inside them.

"The warrior's husband was older than the heiress and the war merchant. Less sturdy. But they still had time left. Time to love. Time to suffer. The war merchant's ambition tasted like ash in his mouth and his pride turned to hate. For over a decade he poured his rage onto his own son. While the heiress gave what love she could to her own.

"The tailor couldn't bear to see her slowly wither. So again he threw himself into finding a source of magic that could change fate. But it wasn't until she fell into the final sleep that the god of the Butterfly, the other object of power he found, finally told him of the Ladybug and the Black Cat.

"If the Ladybug and Black Cat were only called upon in times of crisis, the tailor reasoned, then he would bring about this crisis. Forcing the Butterfly to corrupt innocents so he may take Creation and Destruction for himself.

"And it worked. In the last battle between Ladybug and Monarch he gained the upper hand. Took both Miraculous from her and made his wish. Giving his own life so that his wife might live..."

Kagami stopped there. Adrien's face had grown paler as she went on. Eyes filling with horror, then rage, now finally they showed Kagami nothing at all. Even as Adrien's fingers turned to claws and dug deep gashes into the solid marble of her counters. Goosebumps crawled across Kagami's skin as a deep chill filled the room.

She wanted Adrien to scream at her. Cry, accuse, blame, something! Anything!

Instead Adrien stood. Hair casting his face in shadow. He didn't look at her. Didn't say a single word. Simply headed for the door and left. Barely pausing long enough to collect his shoes.

Plagg gave her a pained look as he followed.

Longg floated closer to her. "Are you sure this was wise?"

Kagami looked down at her reflection in the wine of her glass. Surprised to see tears running down her face. "He deserves the truth."

Outside, the imbalance rippled across the Veil.

Notes:

A bunch of irl things happened at once so that's why I haven't updated. Goodbye semi-consistent update schedule it was fun while it lasted.

Chapter 20: Just Give Me a Reason. Just a Little Bit's Enough

Summary:

Avatar of Destruction

Marinette woke groggily as cheerful sunlight shone from her windows. She gave it an accusing glare even though she was the one who forgot to close her blackout curtains last night.

Gregor was in the other mansion and even if he wasn't he didn't enter without knocking. She contemplated just closing them herself and going back to bed but it was too late. Marinette could already feel sleep receding.

"Tikki."

"Five more minutes," Tikki mumbled from her pillow nest.

Grumbling reluctantly, Marinette made her way downstairs. The smell of breakfast hitting her on the stairs. Adrien! She perked up and hurried down. More awake than before.

Adrien was wearing casual clothes under his apron instead of his pyjamas which meant he'd spent the night elsewhere.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Adrien smiled, eyes on the stove.

"Morning," Marinette grinned, placing a kiss on his cheek. "That for me?"

"Yup." Adrien set a plate of chocolate chip pancakes on the counter. Which Marinette greedily devoured.

"When did you get in?"

"This morning. Spent yesterday at... at Kagami's."

Marinette frowned. "What time is it?"

"Quarter to twelve."

Eyes going wide Marinette leapt out of her seat and grabbed a croissant.

"Whoah!" Adrien chuckled as he called after her. "On a Sunday!"

"... Oh," Marinette blushed a bit as she walked back into the kitchen and sat down to finish her meal. "How is Kagami? And Felix?"

"Didn't see him," Adrien said as he turned back to the stove. "Too busy with his business apparently."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "That sounds like Felix."

"Doesn't it just."

"Still, you and Ryuko could handle it by yourselves."

"Clean up duty? Oh yeah. It was the Moonlight Hunters that had the hard job... What about here?"

Marinette shrugged as she drank her coffee. "Same really. Just keeping the minionized people contained until Ghostforce could beat Kasenti. You were right about them by the way."

A pancake Adrien was putting on the plate almost slipped. "Of course I was," he teased. "I'm always right about ghosts."

Adrien took his apron off and stared at the stack of chocolate chip pancakes. Taking a breath as he caught up to his thoughts, Adrien set them down in front of Marinette.

This wasn't unusual. Adrien often spaced out when his brain latched onto an idea. Like going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole. Marinette's was more like going down a Wonderland rabbit hole but regardless. What was weird is that there were no plane pancakes for Adrien himself. Or even a plate.

"I..." Adrien started. "It's going to be the anniversary soon."

Marinette swallowed her mouthful and reached across the counter to squeeze her husband's hand. "I remember."

"It's funny," Adrien tried for a smile but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "In all these years, I never asked how he died."

Her breakfast suddenly sat heavily in Marinette's stomach. "Fighting Monarch."

"Yes, but how?" Adrien emphasized, his other hand laying on top of Marinette's keeping her there. "He was wearing an Alliance. How did he avoid akumatization?"

Marinette tried to keep her heartbeat steady even as Adrien looked into her eyes for the first time since she walked in.

"And even if he did die why didn't the Miraculous Ladybug bring him back? It's brought back countless people! What was so special about-"

Marinette yanked her hand out of Adrien's grasp. Eyes glowing briefly red before she blinked it away. "I don't know. One moment he was holding Monarch the next he was gone."

Something crossed Adrien's face, wiping away the desperation that rose up with every passing word. Now he was expressionless.

"... Please," Adrien pleaded. "I have to know."

"... Monarch used some combination of the Miraculous to... to... unmake your father. I couldn't bring him back the same way I couldn't bring back Master Fu's memories." It wasn't a lie. Not really. Ok just a little one! But technically Monarch did use magic to destroy himself. That counts as telling the truth! Right?

Adrien's expression didn't change. "... Okay. Sorry to bring it up. I know you don't like dwelling on it."

The knot in Marinette's stomach loosened. She smiled sadly at her husband to hide her relief. "No, I'm sorry I don't remember more. It all happened so fast."

"Right..." Adrien walked towards the door. Stopping at the threshold. "I have a meeting to get to."

"See you tonight then." Not knowing what to do with her hands Marinette continued eating her breakfast.

Adrien rubbed the twin rings on his left hand. "Thank you for giving me the Amok object."

"Of course, they belong to you."

It wasn't until the front door closed that Marinette realized what she said. Fork clattering to the floor as she felt her house of cards being swallowed up by a yawning void.

---

"What're you thinking kid?" Plagg asked. Usually he could somewhat follow Adrien's thought process. But his wielder wasn't talking to him at the moment.

Adrien made a noncommittal noise in response.Twenty years of marriage. Twenty years of putting all of their feelings first.

He went to Master Fu's funeral. Even though Marinette's eulogy about what a "great" mentor he was turned his stomach. But he swallowed down the bile because Marinette lost someone important to her. So he held her afterwards and pretended the cold ache in his chest was him empathizing with her loss.

When he learned Kagami and Felix of all people knew her identity as Ladybug? He was too busy being relieved that her Miraculous wasn't being taken away to follow the fleeting thought that, if it had been him? If it had been Chat Noir who's identity was exposed to a supervillain? He wouldn't be so lucky.

Years of tiptoeing around her trauma over the death of G-     . Adrien's fists clenched. Her trauma. It was his fucking father! His fucking Cataclysm that-

"Kid!"

Adrien was snapped out of his thoughts by Plagg's voice.

People were yelling at each other about who had run into who with a cake delivery. A bus was emptying it's occupants due to two flat tires. Every single coffee machine in a nearby cafe was apparently out of order.

He glanced down. Adrien's shadow was too long. Too dark. Stretching out behind him instead of following the light of the sun. It snapped back into proper place at his glare.

Thankfully, Plagg kept quiet about this lapse as he walked on.

Gregor greeted them as Adrien walked in. His response must've been off because Gregor didn't say much as Adrien went down into the subsection of the manor.

Most of it was still being dug out. The library was little more than an empty, giant, rectangular room. Every hall was like that except the garden. Adrien felt a ripple on his skin as he walked through Nino's first real ward. Excellent for keeping out unwanted butterflies.

Plagg floated out of Adrien's pocket. "We don't have to be here. You can ask me whatever-"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Adrien's voice wasn't loud but still it echoed in the great chasm.

Plagg's whiskers drooped. "... Because she told us not to."

If Adrien thought the stabbing pain in his chest couldn't get any worse he was sorely mistaken. "She... ordered you?"

"Ladybug didn't know what she was doing!" Plagg said quickly. "Our Miraculous were in her hands and her desire out of her throat before we even realized it wasn't a request."

Adrien stared at Plagg, face pale. "Is that why you didn't tell me I wasn't human?"

"No," Plagg met Adrien's eyes. "I didn't know about that. Didn't understand it when Monarch and Ladybug had their last battle. Only Duusu and Nooroo might've known."

Adrien's vision blurred as wet heat burned down his face. "You could've asked."

"... But then she might've said 'No'," Plagg replied.

Adrien wiped at his eyes. Staring at a particularly vibrant flower of moly. It's white petals bringing attention to it's pollen heavy stamen.

Slowly, Adrien held out his hand for Plagg. Who landed gently on it. Pulling him to Adrien's chest. He could feel Plagg's little arms through the fabric of his shirt. Standing was altogether too much work so Adrien all but collapsed onto his back. Grass staining his shirt.

Adrien laid there for a while as his heartbeat slowed. Staring up at the mirrors that brought sunlight down into this underground oasis. Plagg purring on his chest.

There was so much to do. So much to destroy. And he would. Adrien knew he would. He could feel it as Plagg's power sank into him, rippling out across the Veil. The last invisible barrier between them broken. Adrien could feel the coming storm.

His shadow bloomed underneath him like a black rose, covering the entire cavern in total darkness. Eyes glowing a toxic green as his pupils became vertical slits. At last, Adrien could see.

Notes:

Well this one came out faster than expected. I'll try to get the flashback chapters done then... will probably go back to irregular updates.

Chapter 21: And Don't Tell Me You're Sorry 'Cause You're Not. Baby, When I Know You're Only Sorry You Got Caught

Summary:

"The truth will set you free."

The nightmares began that night.

Visions of aborted timelines plagued Adrien's dreams and ripped sleep from his eyes. The very world ending and the only hope of salvation going back to prevent it from ever happening.

His nightmares were so strong that they grazed against the sleeping minds of his children. Who woke screaming about shattered moons and a brilliant, terrible light unmaking everything.

They were a bit old to sleep all together like they did during a bad storm. But Emma didn't care and Hugo gave only token protest. They slept in his arms while Louis used Adrien's stomach as a pillow.

"Papa?"

"Yes, Hugo?"

"Where's Maman?"

Adrien hoped Hugo couldn't hear how his heart accelerated. "She... She had some things to take care of."

"Hm," Hugo's head sank back down as he drifted off to sleep.

Adrien didn't sleep. Knowing that the nightmare would return if he closed his eyes and drag his children with him. So he stayed awake through the night.

Trying not to think about what these visions of futures past could mean.

---

Marinette had been crying.

She was never very good at hiding her feelings from him. It was figuring out why that usually gave Adrien trouble. Though in this case the cause of her red eyes was rather obvious.

"I..." Marinette took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

It shouldn't hit him so hard to hear those words. But still Adrien's stomach clenched. Limbs tensing as he resisted the instinct to comfort his wife.

"I'm so, so sorry I didn't-" She took another breath. "-Didn't tell you."

It'd be so easy to just walk up to her and put his arms around Marinette.

"I thought I-I was protecting you. From what your father did."

Adrien's fingernails dug into his palms as he looked away. Forcing himself not to wipe at the growing moisture in her eyes. "You let me think he was a hero, Marinette. A hero," Adrien's voice broke.

Marinette sobbed before she could swallow it down. "I know. I'm... sorry. I just wanted you to be happy. To be free of... all of this!"

His Lady looked so small then. Like they were teenagers all over again. Young, foolish, scared.

"I messed up!" Marinette wiped at her eyes.

"I can't tell you."

"I know I did!"

"It's too dangerous for us to know each other's identities."

"I should've trusted you!"

"I didn't think it mattered that Luka knew."

"I'll be better!"

"Felix always looks like he knows something you don't."

"I promise!"

"I promise."

"I promise."

Adrien forced himself to look Marinette in the eye. Opened his mouth and said the first honest thing that came into his head:

"I want a divorce."

---

Adrien still remembered when he told his kids that Maman and Papa would no longer be living together. The confusion and disbelief in their eyes. Especially Louis.

He remembered the akuma fluttering towards his son's room. Remembered crushing it's fragile body to dust. The rage as he summoned a Cataclysm untransformed for the first time.

"You think you can go after my son!?"

Adrien wasn't sure what happened in that moment but he felt the power of Destruction travel through the psychic connection the akuma had with its master. Hawkmoth's attacks stopped for a whole week.

But they were far more vicious after that. The imbalance fueling her corruptive magic. Making it stronger and her bolder.

It would still be a year before they'd manage to stop her. A year to relearn how to work together with someone that used to be Adrien's other half. Learn how to fight beside someone he no longer trusted.

And they almost failed.

Almost.

---

...

...

...

It was another year before Adrien was confident enough in his plan to execute it.

Felix threw back his head, downed another glass and slammed it back onto the small table between them. Then poured himself another. Cheeks red from the amount of alcohol in his system. "I gave her the best years of my life and this is how she repays me?"

Adrien made a noncommittal hum. He was rather surprised Kagami waited so long. Then again, Adrien didn't give her more than cryptic warnings. Felix took another long drink and Adrien poured his own into a nearby potted plant.

"Here," Felix refilled Adrien's glass. "Marriage is a fucking lie."

"True enough," Adrien watched Felix carefully. He wasn't prone to clumsiness while drunk but that wasn't what Adrien was looking for.

"Y'know, cousin... you're the only one who's ever cared about me."

Adrien smiled. "I've always cared about you Felix." Shame you can't say the same.

Felix raised his glass for a toast. "Good riddance to ungrateful bitches."

Adrien's teeth clenched but he raised his glass. "To cutting out toxic relationships."

Felix laughed. "Yeah. That." And down it went. Felix's shoulders sagged as his arms went limp. Glass rolling onto the expensive carpet of his sitting room.

"... Felix?"

His cousin sagged into the cozy armchair.

Slowly, Adrien stood and leaned over Felix's sleeping face. Carefully he moved the tie covering the brooch. The Peacock Miraculous.

A chill ran down Adrien's spine as he took the Miraculous off Felix and put it in his breast pocket. There was a flash of blue light as Duusu entered her Miraculous from wherever she was sleeping.

He glanced at Felix but the sleeping potion Adrien put in his drink held.

A hand patted the Peacock Miraculous through the fabric of his suit. It's insignificant weight like a boulder on his chest.

The thought of saying some clever quip crossed his mind but Adrien had places to be. Felix would know soon enough who took the Peacock.

Closing the door to Felix's penthouse behind him Adrien transformed. And Chat Noir raced across the night sky.

...

...

...

Adrien straightened his hair. Using gel to keep it even. He carefully applied makeup to slightly alter his complexion. Taking off his glasses Adrien put in contacts that added a slight tint to the irises. He put on his freshly pressed, custom tailored suit. Cut to make him appear slimmer on camera.

As they had grown older Adrien had gotten tanner and broader. They no longer looked identical without effort. But that never seemed to stop Felix so why should it stop Adrien?

He sat in front of the webcam just in time.

"Don't be bemused it's just the news! Today we have a very special guest. The one and only Felix Graham de Vanily, Argos!"

Adrien nodded seriously at the camera.

"Despite being one of the few Parisian heroes with a public identity catching you for an interview is much harder than that of your masked teammates. What made you decide to agree this time?"

"I have something to confess to the people of Paris."

Nadja's face shifted as she realized this wouldn't be the lighthearted hero interview she was expecting. "Go on."

"I... have lied to you. The Red Moon wasn't the only crime I committed against your city." Adrien's fists clenched out of view of the camera. His words bringing back memories he'd rather forget.

"Because... I was the one that gave Monarch the Miraculous."

Gasps of shock and outrage rolled across the live audience. Nadja's face paled as she interlaced her fingers. Knuckles white to keep from shaking.

"I knew his identity and I traded the other Miraculous for the Peacock."

The audience was shouting now. Some rising to their feet.

Nadja swallowed the anger that also rose up in her. "Who was he?" she demanded. "Who was Monarch!?"

Adrien stared unblinkingly at her accusing glare.

"G-       A-     ."

Adrien cut the feed as he felt the Veil riling like a stormy sea. He took a breath. Then sprinted for the bathroom. Wiping off the makeup, using hot water to dissolve the gel and taking out the contacts.

In a flash he was out of there and at a decent hotel across town. Where he'd been for the past several hours as host. Nino was waiting for him on one of the balconies.

Before he could say anything Nino's arms were around Adrien's shoulders. He squeezed tightly then let go all too soon. "C'mon, they'll be asking for you."

It wasn't hard to summon the tears of betrayal that his guests expected of him. Adrien felt that all too keenly. No one protested when he excused himself. Hardly anyone asked after him.

It was a show. A grand revenge after years of being the butt of the joke. And Adrien reveled in it. Yes he did. It was every bit the terrible truth he hoped for.

So long waiting for the perfect moment. For a weakness to exploit. Adrien was almost surprised how easy it was. Then again Felix always thought he was the smartest man in the room.

His only regret was not being there to see the look on Felix's face... At least, it used to be.

Chapter 22: You're Not a Demon, There's a Reason You Behaved In That Way

Summary:

Pain of yesterdays.

"I'll talk to him."

"M Dupain-Cheng..."

"...only twelve."

"This is a very serious..."

"...make sure he understands that."

Hugo tried not to fidget with his ear on the door to the principal's office. Their voices muffled, Hugo caught only snippets of their conversation. There was the sound of someone rising to their feet and Hugo sprang backwards into his chair.

The door opened and closed behind Papa. He gave Hugo an unreadable look. "C'mon."

Awkward silence swallowed most of the ride home. Papa's brow furrowed as his fingers fidgeted with the ring on his finger. Even Gregor was subdued as he drove. Guilt and apprehension twisting Hugo's stomach into knots.

Instead of sending Hugo to his room Papa went into their home gym. "Shoes off."

"Huh?"

"Shoes off," he repeated, following his own instruction and removing the tie and dress shirt too. Leaving just his undershirt. Papa walked towards the long mats Emma used to practice her fencing.

"Legs shoulder width apart. Left- er, right foot forward. Bend your knees. Arms up." Papa corrected Hugo's stance.

Hugo was too confused to question him.

"Now," Papa clapped his hands together and held up his palms. "Hit me."

Okay, not that confused. "What? No, that isn't..."

"Your stance is off again Hugo."

"This isn't how it goes!" Hugo protested.

"What, did you expect me to ground you for a month with no video games?"

"Well... yeah."

Papa nodded. "We can do that instead if you want."

"... No," Hugo said quietly.

Papa flexed his fingers.

Hugo pressed his lips together as he retook his stance. Taking a deep breath he threw a punch into Papa's calloused hands.

 "Again. And put your weight into it this time!"

Hugo obliged. For several minutes they just trained. Hugo threw a punch. Adrien caught it. Made some small correction to Hugo's technique. Repeat.

"... Shouldn't you be wearing something to protect your hands?" Hugo asked.

"You can't hurt me, Hugo." There was something about the way Papa said it that made color rise in Hugo's face.

Hugo stopped, eyes blinking rabidly as the heat in his chest tried to escape through his eyes.

Papa placed his hands over Hugo's shaking fists. "Will you tell me what's wrong?" Papa asked gently.

"... He called Maman a golddigger," Hugo said in a small voice, shoulders hunched. It wasn't the first thing the boy had said. Or even the worst thing he ever said. But it was what made Hugo snap.

Papa sighed and Hugo fought between shame and indignation. Why should some jerk be able to say whatever he wanted about Maman? Why wasn't he being punished? It wasn't fair!

"I know," Papa said, and for a second Hugo thought he'd spoken out loud. Papa's hands squeezed Hugo's, kneeling so he was no longer looming over Hugo. "I know it's not fair. I'm not going to tell you he didn't deserve it."

Hugo blinked in surprise.

"You've got a strong sense of justice. That says good things about your character. But it's not enough to be right, Hugo. You have to be smart about it too. And it's not worth hurting yourself to hurt him."

Hugo rubbed at his sore knuckles.

Papa's eyes caught the movement. "I don't mean just physically. I mean here," -he pointed at Hugo's chest- "here," -his head- "and here." Papa's finger hovered over the stickers on Hugo's sleeve before landing on the one with the school emblem.

Hugo scowled at that last one.

"If you can avoid antagonizing authority figures you can maneuver them into doing what you want," Papa explained. "And if you can't you make sure they regret it."

"... Aren't you supposed to tell me to respect authority figures?"

Papa blinked. "Why would I do that? People in authority need to earn your respect just like anyone else. More even."

Hugo said nothing but the shame slithering around his insides seemed to calm just a fraction.

Papa released Hugo's hands, rose to his feet and held out his palms again.

Grasping his invitation Hugo threw a punch and... It didn't connect. His fist stopped a hand span away from Papa's palm. Like he'd hit a pillow made of air. Hugo's eyes went wide.

"How- How did you do that!?"

Instead of answering the invisible force around Papa pushed out. Enveloping Hugo like a warm breeze. Buffeting him with... Love. Concern. Fear. Compassion. Pride. Anger. The bend and weave of it glided over Hugo's skin.

This time Hugo didn't try to stop the tears from falling. For a moment Hugo could see the green aura rising from patterns of flame on Papa's skin. Then he blinked and it was gone.

Papa's presence faded slowly from the air. "Anger is a very useful emotion. As long as you know how to control it. Direct it into something more."

Not trusting his voice Hugo nodded. Wiping at his eyes.

"Which means-" Papa placed a comforting hand on Hugo's shoulder "-for the next two weeks we're going to focus on your self control."

So they did. Papa ran Hugo through various exercises both physical and mental so he could bend without breaking. Taught Hugo how to choose his actions so he could win a fight without ever throwing a single punch. It became routine even after Hugo returned to school.

Only later did he realize Papa had talked the principal down to suspension instead of expulsion.

---

Silence echoed in the vast cavern. The shelves of books swallowing any sound as Adrien gazed down at his kids. Their expressions some combination of shock and disbelief.

Emma's body was limp on the couch. Not realizing her mouth was open. Next to her Louis bored a hole through the floor with his eyes as he hugged his knees to his chest. On his other side Hugo's face burned as his hands curled into fists.

Adrien resisted the urge to fiddle with his ring as the quiet stretched. The vice on his heart squeezing tighter and tighter in the endless seconds.

"It was you," Hugo said finally, voice almost breaking. "You told. Everyone. About Grandfather. On international TV."

Adrien rubbed the back of his head. "Don't call him that."

"I'll call him-" Hugo bit the inside of his cheek as he reigned in the scream. His voice swallowed by the shelves of books. "-whatever I want, Dad."

Adrien flinched.

Hugo saw it and tears welled in his eyes. "Two years. Two years. A-and you didn't say anything! Always fighting with M-maman and pretending it wasn't any-thing im-important!" Hugo wiped angrily at his eyes. Breathing shakely. Shoulders trembling. "I thought- I thought you- I thought I was-"

Adrien rushed to his eldest son and enveloped the sitting boy to his chest. Hugo hit him weakly even as he clung to his father's looming form.

"Liar," Hugo accused between sobs. "Hypocrite."

"I know," Adrien agreed as his own tears came. "I'm sorry."

Louis wasn't staring at the floor anymore. His eyes were red but the tears did not fall. They stared at Hugo in Adrien's arms. Looking so much like Emilie it hurt.

"You took the Peacock away?" Louis asked, referring to Felix.

"Yes," Adrien nodded.

"Good." Louis sprang from his curled up position and walked briskly towards the high shelves all around them.

"Louis-"

"I wanna be alone," Louis interrupted, voice sharp.

Adrien gazed helplessly after him. Nino stepped forward from his place at the edge of the reading area, gave Adrien what was probably meant to be a reassuring nod, and went after Louis.

Gratitude swelled in Adrien's heart and he clung to the warmth of the feeling as he turned to look at his only daughter.

Emma's eyes flicked back and forth between her family as they spoke. Hugo's wrath, Louis' careful control, Papa's tired eyes.

She closed her own and took a breath. Barely a tremor in her voice. "I knew you were hiding something. I just didn't realize how b-big that something was."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Tears filled Emma's eyes and Adrien shifted so he could reach out his other arm. Emma accepted the embrace and clung to him. The memory of holding their much younger selves rising to the surface.

His son and daughter's eyes meeting in the middle. The space between them still fractured and fragile. Understanding like a salve on an open wound.

---

"You're not going to tell anyone are you?"

"It's not like anyone would believe you anyway."

"Yeah, you don't want everyone thinking you're a liar do you?"

Louis stared at the leader with expressionless eyes. "People don't actually like it when you look at them directly in the eye." Then they shouldn't have called it "eye contact", Louis thought as the lights flickered overhead.

The leader flinched first. Annoyed that his intimidation wasn't working.

"What's going on here?"

The leader and his lacky sprung to attention at the voice of one of the teachers.

"Just comparing history homework," the leader lied amicably.

The flunky nodded. "Louis here always has the best notes."

The teacher stared at them until they made their excuses and left. Not without muttering warnings only Louis would hear.

Louis felt the tension leave his body and fear replaced it. At the time he hadn't been afraid. No he was angry.

Angry that they had cornered him. Almost touched him!

Angry that they expected him to lie for them.

Angry that they'd written the word "Splicer" in some kid's notebook because he'd gone through gene therapy in order to Not Die!

It wasn't right! The lights above flared, driving out what fear he felt.

"Louis? Is there something you want to tell me?" The teacher asked.

Louis carefully looked at the bridge of the teacher's nose, giving the illusion of eye contact. "... Yes."

They did think he was a snitch in the end. Not everyone of course. But they had friends and Louis didn't. Not really. Making friends was hard.

The kid ended up transferring schools which didn't seem fair to Louis. He wasn't the one who did anything wrong. The fact that the bullies also had to transfer to separate schools was small consolation.

And it didn't stop their friends from spreading rumors about Louis' DNA...

---

The library smelled old.

Louis grasped onto the thought. Desperately tugging on it as he tried to pull himself away from the pain in his chest.

It shouldn't smell old. Louis could see scaffolding poking out over the high shelves in one of the adjoining chambers. Modern lighting poured down from the high ceiling in a way that didn't obstruct the mural of the dragon goddess. The shelves, though made of wood, had that newly varnished feeling beneath his fingers.

It shouldn't smell old but it did.

Some of the books looked ancient. Leather bound. Like they'd fall apart at his touch. But others were new releases. Louis was sure he'd rushed past an entire shelf of Zatanna's Apotropaic Magic for Beginners.

Papa's revelations pounded against Louis' skull. Demanding his attention. The pain spread through Louis' limbs leaving numbness in it's wake. The emotion that accompanied it so big he couldn't feel it anymore. Louis wrapped his arms around himself and rocked rhythmically on his feet.

A thick blanket came into Louis' line of sight.

Louis stared at it for a moment before taking it from Uncle Nino. The weight of it grounding him. He breathed deeply. Chamomile tea, Papa's favorite. The numbness became somewhat less all encompassing.

Uncle Nino didn't say anything for a while. "Do you want me to leave?"

"..." Louis shook his head.

The soft sound of Uncle Nino's footsteps on carpeted floor came as he produced two sitting room chairs.

Louis sat in one.

He breathed slowly.

Shifted the weighted blanket around his shoulders.

Thought of nothing at all.

Or tried to, at least. Louis' mind drifted to Felix. A spike of anger rose over the fog of guilt and sorrow. He couldn't muster up any resentment for Papa. Even though Louis took the brunt of the backlash among his siblings for the crime of Being Related to an Asshole.

No, Louis felt nothing but satisfaction at Felix's comeuppance, as Aunt Kagami would say.

Uncle Nino smiled hesitantly from his own chair as he noticed the change. "All good? No, stupid question. Of course not. Feeling better?"

Louis nodded slowly. Uncle Nino had stayed with Louis. A small warmth flickered in Louis' chest. Then his brain reminded Louis of what triggered this whole mess. "It feels weird to call you 'Uncle' Nino when you're married to Papa."

Uncle Nino tried to choke on air for a moment and was mildly successful. "I mean, you could just call me 'Nino'?" Uncle Nino suggested, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Okay..." Louis paused, not used to calling an adult by just their first name, "...Nino."

"... Do you know what the blackout was?" Nino asked

"Power dampening field," Louis replied automatically. Eyes flicking away from Nino's raised eyebrows. Not wanting to see the realization that Louis knew about his powers beforehand. "Did I... Was anyone hurt?"

"No," Nino, replied reassuringly. "We got there before any major accidents."

Louis accepted this with a nod. One of the knots his intestines had wrapped themselves into untangling... "Why didn't it work on you?" he asked, curious despite himself.

"Probably cause your powers don't work on people with magical protection. Might work on other metahumans though."

Louis skin prickled at the words 'other metahumans'. Like static arcing across his scalp. It was one thing to 'know' he was a metahuman and quite another to admit it to himself. To think I'm a metahuman and not try to hide from the truth of the words.

He pulled the weighted blanket tighter around himself, feeling exposed.

"I always knew I was weird," Louis said. It was so hard to speak with people outside of his family. But that wasn't the case with Nino. "The other kids made sure of that." Talking to Nino came more naturally. "I guess I'm even more of a freak than they thought."

"You're not a freak, Louis."

Louis' silence spoke volumes.

Nino frowned, like he was turning over the proper words in his head.

"Un- Nino... Am I human?" Louis' voice quavered.

Nino started at the question. "What? Of course you are!"

"Papa isn't human," Louis didn't say it like an accusation. It was simply a statement of fact. And if it burned his tongue as it passed his lips it served him right for saying it aloud.

"... Did you know most Kantè have human souls?"

Louis eyes widened. No, he did not. Then narrowed in a way that said 'What does that have to do with anything?' but nodded.

Uncle... Nino gave him a 'This Is Important' look back and continued. "Funny thing about souls, they're not all one piece. People can be born with an animal soul stuck together with their human one like ink on paper. Or be born with an even stranger soul."

Louis frowned skeptically.

"We've run tests. Physically speaking, there's no difference between Adrien and any other dude... Give or take a few allergen markers."

Despite himself, the corners of Louis' mouth turned up at that.

"Magically speaking? Human souls are as weird and varied as there are people. You're as human as the rest of us little dude... Sorry."

Louis didn't know if he felt relieved or disappointed. But he nodded. Nino didn't talk down to him. Didn't try to deflect. He tried to meet Louis where he was at even if he stumbled along the way. That's more than most adults gave him. "Thank you," he said and meant it.

He pulled the weighted blanket closer as another thought surfaced. "... I hurt everyone."

"It wasn't your fault," Nino said gently.

"It was my dream!"

"Louis," Nino enunciated, like he wanted Louis to understand that what he said was true. "You were enchanted."

Louis flinched.

"Su-Han never should have given the Pig Miraculous to Hugo," an edge creeped into Nino's voice. He took a breath and continued. "Miraculous react to your emotional state. Hugo wasn't ready for it. That 'Present' might as well have been an akuma for all the control you really had. Do you get it?"

"... I think so," Louis didn't think Nino was wrong he just didn't feel less guilty about trapping all of Paris under a rose-tinted dome. "It... still hurts."

Nino leaned forward and held his hands palm up. Not touching Louis, simply letting him know he was there. "That's okay. You have us, Louis. We'll always be in your corner."

---

Emma wiped at her eyes, angry that she couldn't get them under control.

"Emma?" her Maman called through the door.

"Go away!" Emma snapped.

The doorknob to Emma's room rattled. "Emma, open the door."

"I don't wanna talk to you!"

"... Gregor, open the door."

"B-but I'm only supposed to do that in an emergency," Gregor protested.

"Now, please."

There was silence for a moment. Then the click of her door unlocking.

Emma glared accusingly up as Maman barged into her room. Eyes red and nose runny from crying. She'd grown a lot the past year but still only reached up to Maman's chest.

"Oh sweetheart," Maman began.

"Why did you tell them!?" Emma practically yelled.

Maman's eyes started watering. "I just thought you could use some help. I'm sorry, Emma. Please don't be mad."

Emma looked away. Annoyed that her anger faded at the sight of Maman's tears. That she instinctively wanted to wipe them away.

"Now all my friends know," Emma said instead. "They were giggling and pointing like I couldn't see them."

"... Sounds like they're not very good friends."

"Maman!" Emma protested. She wanted to say that wasn't the point. The point was that Emma asked Maman to keep it a secret and she didn't. No, Maman went out of her way to tell everyone. Just so she'd stop feeling embarrassed in front of the other moms.

But that would upset Maman, so Emma said nothing.

"I'm just saying," Maman smiled tentatively. Taking Emma's silence as agreement. "Sounds like you dodged a bullet there."

"... Yeah."

Maman smiled awkwardly as the silence stretched out. "And now they'll know better."

Emma snorted doubtfully.

"Y'know, I had trouble in school too. When I was only a little older than you."

Emma bit her tongue just enough to keep from saying, 'But eventually you met Aunt Alya and she gave you the courage to stand up for yourself and you made more friends.'

"But then I met Alya and she's stood by me ever since," Maman smiled.

Her frustration waned despite herself. The gentleness in Maman's voice smoothing out what edges remained of Emma's anger even as she gripped it tighter.

"You'll find someone too," Maman continued. "You just have to be patient."

"... Yeah. Okay," Emma said when it was clear Maman expected a response.

Maman smiled and held out her arms for a hug.

Emma allowed herself to slide into Maman's embrace. But in the deep parts of her mind a seed took root. Whispering to Emma that she'd told Maman to keep a secret. And by yesterday everyone knew.

---

Emma stared at the garden in the central chamber.

The greens more vibrant than anything she'd ever seen. Trees that jumped into sharp focus as her eyes slid over them. Flowers that seemed to glow with an inner light even in the refracted sunlight.

A pink rose stared at her. Louis' eyes as they filled with the color of petals and drained of any emotion at all. A wave of toxic florescence wiping away the world and replacing it with a dream.

Emma's vision blurred. She blinked rapidly and sniffed. Not wanting to turn the waterworks back on.

"Emma," Papa called from behind her.

"Oh," Emma wiped at her eyes before turning. "Hey."

"... Hugo went up to lunch," Papa said to fill the silence.

"Yeah... Okay."

"... If there's anything you-"

"It was my fault!" Emma blurted out.

Papa blinked. "What?"

Emma's hand went to her face as her throat constricted. "I knew it was going to happen! I-I knew something would happen with the Pig Miraculous and I knew Louis would get caught up in it and I didn't stop it I didn't act fast enough I was right there and I didn't- I couldn't-"

"Hey, hey hey hey." Papa's arms were around her and Emma felt like she was ten again and she'd scrapped her knee doing something reckless. "How could you know?"

Her tongue stuck to the top of her mouth as an unprompted fear took her voice. Emma pushed it aside. This wasn't Maman. This was Papa. "... I dreamed it."

Papa's arms stiffened and for one terrible moment Emma thought she'd made another mistake. But then he pulled her closer. Wrapping her up like he wanted to protect her from unseen threats.

"Oh, mon chaton," Papa whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"I couldn't protect Louis," Emma trembled as she she clung to Papa's solid frame. "He's my brother and I couldn't..."

"No." Papa pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. "Listen to me. Listen. This is not your fault. I'm your Papa and it's my job to protect all of you."

Emma let out a shuddering gasp as she tried to stifle a sob. "But I knew it was coming!"

"You barely knew it was a vision at all, mon chaton."

Emma looked away from Papa's gentle look. It wasn't pity in his eyes. She had too much of Maman in her to tolerate that. But the sympathy was bad enough.

"Seers far more trained than you have tried to change the future. Don't blame yourself because no one taught you how to See with clarity."

Emma shook her head. "I should've been able to do something!" she insisted.

"And you will!" Papa's hands reached down and clasped her own between them. "I may not be able to start your training myself like I did with Hugo but you will learn how to harness your gifts. I promise."

Emma looked down at Papa's hands holding hers. Calloused from hours of training. She'd often wondered why Hugo was the only one of them that Papa trained in qi. But now she knew: that wasn't her path. Emma had only a modicum of talent for it. But this... more Western magic. That was a different story.

"When do we start?"

---

Emma stared at the ceiling of her room. They'd barely done anything all day and yet she felt exhausted. Drained.

Her brain too busy putting together all the times Maman and Papa gave dumb excuses for being late or missing something entirely. Well... Mostly Maman. Papa would usually be there when Maman didn't and- Oh. That's why Chat Noir wasn't present for akuma fights as often.

She'd wondered about that. Since his Cataclysm could one shot most akuma, even the ones that tried to counter his power.

Heat flared in Emma's chest at the reminder that Maman was Ladybug. Fists clenching around the blanket. A voice tried to tell Emma that Maman was busy saving the city but she quashed it. She didn't feel like understanding Maman. Being "understanding" is why it took Papa the better part of thirty years to break up with her!

With effort, Emma relaxed her stranglehold on her bed covers. The blanket admonishing her by retaining it's wrinkles.

Her anger drained away as she remembered the looks on her brothers' faces. Leaving behind an aching void.

Emma wouldn't let something like this happen again. She'd make sure of it.

With the thought that her dreams wouldn't show her the Rose-tinted Day anymore Emma finally closed her eyes...

Fire.

Rubble.

Ash.

The Eiffel Tower was... Wrong.

A red sun hung low in a shattered sky.

Soldiers marched through the streets.

Ships emerged from the hole in Reality.

Her mother's symbol emblazoned on every shoulder and every hull.

And there she was, standing above it all.

Ladybug.

Hero.

Savior.

Truth.

Ladybug turned, looked right at her and smiled.

"Hello, daughter. I'm coming home."

Someone screamed.

And it was only as her windows shattered that Emma knew the scream was hers.

Chapter 23: Old, But I'm Not That Old. Young, But I'm Not That Bold. And I Don't Think the World is Sold, On Doing What We're Told

Summary:

Seeds of tomorrow.

A sapphire scarab skittered into the grasp of a celestial octopus older than humanity. It's ancient clockwork grinding to a hault.

A scarlet dragon roared among a cast of hawks burning with lightning. Whether in concert or opposition remained unclear.

A serpent reared up against a falcon, baring her fangs. Their clash shaking the roots of ages.

The Black Cat and Turtle danced around each other among the stars. Sweeping away half their number from the heavens.

Morgana's eyes opened and for a moment her gaze did not recognize the swirling stars above her head as being of the waking world. The starfield on her ceiling a gift from the Red Fox in this place of null time and precarious constellations.

The corner of her mouth twitched into an incredulous smirk.

What new irreverence would Adrien bring her now?

---

"C'mon, kid! Focus!"

Hugo swung his bo staff around just in time to catch the sais. Channeling his qi into the wood, reinforcing the staff. Hugo tensed his arms as the sais pushed him back. While simultaneously trying not to fall from several meters above the ground. Feet balancing on surfaces half the size of his palm. "I'm... trying," he bit out through gritted teeth.

He'd never say this aloud but Hugo was still wrapping his head around the idea of their hosts. Not so much their existence as the fact that people living comfortably in the sewers of New York were some of the best martial artists on the planet. Supposedly.

And also maybe that their VR setup was better than his.

The pressure on his staff abruptly slackened and Hugo stumbled forward. Barely catching himself on a lower pole and deflecting a barrage of slashes from his opponent. Keeping the staff horizontal, each end blocking strikes from the left and right. He was getting the hand of this!

Hugo's feet went sideways. His heart was left behind as the rest of him followed gravity. All the air escaping his lungs with an oof as he fell past the poles they were balancing on and hit the mat on his side.

"Gotta be more aware of your surroundings, kid." A green scaled, three fingered hand reached out. Hugo grasped it and was hauled to his feet.

"You're too fast," Hugo admitted grudgingly.

Raphael grinned, as he started to glow red. "You ain't seen nothing yet!'

Hugo's eyes widened as an answering grin stretched across his face. Pulling his qi around himself in answer to Raph, he lunged into a preemptive strike. Raphael leaping back onto the raised poles with a laugh.

Hugo had never sparred with someone like Raphael before. Aunt Fei was always very controlled, Pegasus was a long range fighter and Papa treated him with kid gloves.

Raphael was none of those things. He was absolutely aiming to win. Any teachable moment was just the icing on the cake. If he got angry he let you know it with the force of his next blow. It reminded Hugo of wrestling with Emma when they were younger. A fire lit in his heart and he drove Raph back a step.

"Your son has great potential, Adrien," Master Splinter sipped from his teacup as their sons' sparring echoed within the Turtle Lair.

"Thank you for accepting him into your home, Master Splinter." Adrien inclined his head in a bow from where he sat cross legged on the other side of the tea tray.

Master Splinter waved this away. "Any family of yours is welcome here. Ooh," he winced sympathetically as Hugo hit the floor again.

"Don't tense up so much, kid!"

Adrien looked down at the tea in his hands. His fingers trembled. He took a breath. "I... I think I messed up."

Master Splinter gave Adrien a long, searching look. He knew Adrien since the Black Cat was a child. Knew that speaking genuinely of himself did not come easily to Adrien... "I am no stranger to feeling like you could have done better with your sons. I sought to protect them from the poison of my rage. But sometimes I feel that I waited too long to tell them the truth."

Adrien downed his tea in one gulp and held his cup out for more. "What did you do?" What can I do?

"Trust them," Master Splinter said as he refilled Adrien's cup with steaming tea. "Trust that you have taught them all they need to know in order to survive. To thrive."

Adrien nursed his tea. "And if you're not sure you have taught them well?"

Master Splinter gave him a gentle grin as Hugo finally managed to knock one of Raph's sais out of his hand. "Ask for help."

---

Michael sleepily poured milk into his bowl and then added the cereal. Nightgown wrapped tightly around him as he squinted through bleary eyes.

"Good morning!" Ted beamed as he slid into the kitchen. Already out of their matching silk nightgowns and perfectly presentable. Handing Michael his "old man pills" as he called them. Which kept them in the spry young health of a fifty year old rather than the plus eighty they actually were. Being married to a time traveler had it's advantages.

"Is it?" Michael asked, missing his cup of coffee and making grabby hands at it.

Ted slid the cup within reach and Michael made an appreciative hum as he brought it to his lips. Ted grinned as he rested his chin in his hand, elbow on the countertop.

"That depends," Skeets said, floating into view. "Did you remember your appointment with Chat Noir today?"

Michael paused, spoon halfway to his mouth, then bolted out of his seat and tore off back to their room. Ostensibly for a sonic shower and a quick change.

"Guess that's a 'no'," Ted smiled fondly, lifting a spoonful of his husband's cereal to his mouth.

The gilded robot didn't have a face like the Kanté of this time period but Ted swore Skeets was equal parts amusement and exasperation from the way he bobbed in place.

Booster Gold walked back into the kitchen five minutes later and drank his cereal. "Y'know, you could warn a guy."

"Where's the fun in that?" Ted grinned.

Not ten minutes later the French superhero was at their door with a mini version of him doing an admirable job of not hiding behind his dad.

"Adrien!" Blue Beetle spread his arms out in greeting without actually touching him. "It's been a while."

"Ted," Adrien smiled politely.

"I hear you've brought us a new student." Ted glanced at Adrien's kid. The boy's eyes had gone wide and sparkly in recognition as he caught sight of their hero suits. Ted tried not to preen. "What's your name?"

Blue Beetle was talking to him. Blue Beetle was talking to him. It was okay. He could do this. Just breathe in... and out.

"... Louis," the kid's eyes drifted to Booster Gold then down again. There was a pause as the kid brought up what he wanted to ask. Booster waited patently. "... Papa, says you've saved the universe loads of times. Is that true?"

Booster raised an eyebrow at Adrien before turning back to... Oh, Louis didn't like eye contact. He shifted his gaze slightly. "Technically, those never happened. Unofficially, yes absolutely. I am amazing like that."

Adrien rolled his eyes and Booster pretended not to notice.

Louis relaxed slightly, stepping a bit away from Adrien.

"Hey!" Ted snapped his fingers. "You want to see our merch room?"

Louis nodded, not overeagerly at all.

Skeets appeared and led Louis to where they kept the good stuff.

"Is the young Blue Beetle here?" Louis asked Skeets. Their voices fading as they walked or hovered off.

Ted clutched his hands to his chest. "Oof! I don't know whether to be proud of Jaime or hurt that I'm the old one."

"I'm sure- jeez!" Booster Gold started as he turned around to see Adrien's face a hand span away from his own. "You could warn a guy before pulling a Batman! Nearly jumped out of my suit..."

"If you let him wear anything with your face on it..." Adrien trailed off, letting Booster's adequate imagination supply the rest.

"Those are just for public consumption," Ted soothed, grabbing Michael's shoulders and sliding him a little to the left. "We keep the good shit for our fellow heroes!"

Adrien made a non-committal hum. "And no pulling him into one of your zany schemes."

"Please!" Booster Gold scoffed. "I haven't attempted any zany schemes since..."

"Last Tuesday," Blue Beetle supplied with a grin.

Booster shot his husband a betrayed look. But Adrien gave them his first genuine smile as he chuckled. Walking to catch up with Louis.

"Are you sure you can't throw more money at Static?" Booster asked in a stage whisper as they hung back.

"It's not a question of money it's that there are so few people trained to deal with metahumans and the Dakota community center is already overcapacity," Ted whispered back, leaning in.

"I dunno how I feel about being second place."

"Look on the bright side: he didn't ask Batman."

"And I'm sure Louis being our fan has nothing to do with it."

"Well he's your fan anyway."

"You're cute when you're jealous."

"Doubtful. Why does Adrien hate you again?"

"... His dad made him the face of marketing for Booster'Os in Europe." Booster Gold scratched at an imaginary itch on his chin.

Blue Beetle winced. "But those taste like-"

"I knooow," Booster whined.

"No wonder he hates your guts. I'd hate your guts too," Ted grinned. "Still, he did come to us."

"Uh-huh," Michael said unconvinced. "If I disappear suddenly put him at the top of the list."

"Y'know, I have super hearing right?" Adrien called over his shoulder. Gratified to see the older heroes spring away from each other like guilty schoolboys caught gossiping. Adrien turned back around, hiding his grin from their eyes.

Louis was in hell. The "merchandise" turned out to be working Apokoliptic anti-armament rods, Themysciran battle armor, Atlantean tourist rebreathers. Where was the good stuff!?

Aha!

Louis moved past a dormant Mother Box to stare at a huge terrarium twice as tall as he was. Jungle plants rose up from the soggy ground and hung from artificial branches to simulate their natural environment. Mist dispensers kept the humidity high and visibility low.

He stepped closer.

A giant centipede reared up from the undergrowth and hissed at him.

Louis' eyes went wide as he resisted the urge to touch the glass. A prehistoric centipede! He didn't know they came in those colors! How did they keep the oxygen levels high enough so it wouldn't asphyxiate? Were the plants also prehistoric?

Movement caught Louis' attention from the corner of his eye. He started bouncing in place. Next to the centipede terrarium was an ant farm. But not just any ants. Giant ants the size of his hand! Louis walked around the massive ant farm. Were they? They were! Martian lichen ants! He thought those died out during the Parasite Occupation of Mars!

So distracted by the previously extinct species that he bumped into a pedestal. Louis turned and was met with a glowing orb of pure information hovering weightlessly at eye level. Louis didn't know how he knew that. The sphere was unremarkable except for the floating and the glowing. It could've been an alien lamppost for all he knew.

But it wasn't.

It was too heavy. Too dense. Like an entire sun compressed into a ball barely larger than a grapefruit.

"Please do not touch the extinction matrix/memory orb," Skeets announced.

Louis jerked his hand back from the orb of light. Cradling his wayward fingers with his other hand as though to keep them from wandering again.

"What is it?" he asked.

"The accumulated information of the planet Noma before it's destruction at the hands of Brainiac."

Goosebumps slithered across Louis' skin at the sound of his name. Brainiac was responsible for more mundicides than anyone in the known universe. Sure there were space empires with a higher celestial body count but Brainiac had singlehandedly destroyed hundreds of worlds. Even Darkseid couldn't make such a boast.

"So it's all their knowledge?"

"It's everything," Skeets corrected. "Every blade of grass and stone foundation. Every language and culture. The memory orb preserves the people of Noma down to their very DNA."

A completely different kind of chill ran up Louis' spine. "DNA? So then the people of Noma could eventually be brought back! We'd need a suitable planet and calibrate our de-extiction technology to alien biology but we could..."

Louis got the impression that Skeets was seeing him for the first time and fell silent. Shifting with sudden discomfort.

"You're a very precocious boy," Skeets praised.

Louis' resisted the urge to point out that "precocious" is the word adults used when they meant to say "annoying". Instead looking back at the memory orb.

A whole world just... floating there. Countless species that could be brought back. An entire planet sacrificed to forge a repository of knowledge greater than a million libraries.

Beautiful.

Terrible.

Horrifying.

But beautiful.

---

"Adrien!" Morgan held out her arms in a welcoming embrace and kissed Adrien on both cheeks.

"Morgan," Adrien smiled as he returned the greeting. "It's been a while."

"Has it? You haven't aged a day," she observed.

"Could say the same of you," he grinned.

Morgan made a non-committal hum as she glanced around him. "Where is this new student?"

Adrien pointed with his chin. "Same place all the newcomers go."

Morgan turned and there was the latest incarnation staring out the tall windows onto Marituga. Hands on the windowsill as though to steady herself. The next link in the chain.

They were in one of the buildings that jutted out from halfway up the mountain-sized stone pillar of the Lighthouse. It's stone frame hanging high above the port. So the flow of people was rendered small and near indistinct. Skeleton pterodactyls flew past with equally skeletal riders. The upper lighthouse wasn't visible from this angle but it's Light was. So bright it reached to the horizon.

Within it's white Light trailed shades of blue. Shifting to green as they reached their destination and became vortexes. Hope from the Keeper himself. His very Will keeping the Seven Seas connected. Thrumming through the stone under her fingers, the floor beneath her feet. In the salt she smelled and the air against her skin. The entire Lighthouse a conduit to the Keeper's power. And she could See it!

'Awe inspiring isn't it?' a voice asked in French.

Emma jumped as she was pulled out of her revery. Golden eyes turning back to dark brown. The woman before her was beautiful. A floor length dress hid the strength of her arms rather well. Long, black hair framed intelligent eyes. Knowing eyes, as though she could tell what Emma was Seeing. There was something familiar about her...

Wait, what did she say? 'Yeah,' Emma replied. 'I didn't know you could see so far.'

'The physical seas do not curve as they do on Earth,' the woman who was older than she looked replied. 'So the horizon stretches much further.'

'... Are you telling me the world is flat?' Emma smirked.

'Ha! More dice shaped but essentially yes.'

"Ahem," Papa cleared his throat.

"My apologies, Adrien," the familiar woman smiled. "I forget you don't like telepathy."

Papa gave her a look that said she wasn't sorry at all.

Emma's eyes widened as she realized the woman's lips never moved as they spoke. So distracted by the sheer amount of magic all around her that she didn't notice they were talking in her head.

"Emma, meet Morgan le Fay, Morgana Pendragon, High Priestess of Dôn, part time supervillain and full time thorn in Destiny's side."

Oh. Ohhh!

"You flatter me," Morgana smiled.

Papa placed a hand on Emma's shoulder. "Morgan, this is Emma. My only daughter, reigning champion of the fencing team, and sprouting Seer."

"Seer?" Morgan looked more closely at Emma, as though she could read the truth of it written on her face. "Oh, yes... Yes, she is isn't she." Morgan's brows furrowed.

Well, shit. Guess an ancient sorceress could read it on Emma's face. She'd have to work on that.

They went up a wide stone staircase to a rooftop garden partly covered by a wide dome. Except the top half was open to the sky, giving an unimpeded, and distracting, view of the top of the Lighthouse. Trees grew half wild, some of their roots reaching past the soil and spreading across the tiles. The central floor was covered in the mosaic of an alchemical seal. The sun and moon on opposite ends with many beasts between them. The stone pillars holding up the half dome the only separation between themselves and the shear drop that wrapped all around the circular exterior, only ending when it met back up with the massive exterior wall, (more of a cliff really) of the Lighthouse itself. Obviously the architect felt like railings were for wimps. Past the tree's branches the interior of the dome was covered in constellations of a zodiac she wasn't familiar with. Sumerian?

Emma could smell new growth and decay in equal measure... She wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

Morgan's eyes twinkled knowingly and Emma wasn't sure she liked how easily this supervillain (retired) could see through her either. Even if she was an old friend of Papa's.

"Tell me about your dream." Morgan's voice didn't echo but it did carry. Emma made a mental note about the acoustics.

The three of them sat cross legged in a circle, triangle really but anyway, around the central sigil which Emma didn't recognize. Sweat trickled down her back in the subtropical heat even with the wind-chill so high up. She let herself be impressed that Morgan could sit so comfortably in such flowing robes and then took a steadying breath.

"The sky was broken... Everything was on fire... Soldiers, and ships like beetles. Flying ships. Not alien. The sun was red. Ladybug... Ladybug looked at me. She Saw me!"

"Your mother?" Morgan asked.

"No," Emma replied immediately. "It wasn't Maman." She gave a guilty glance at Papa but his face showed only concern for her. A knot in her back unwound. Only ninety-nine to go.

"You could tell?" Morgan's tone wasn't disbelieving, just inquisitive.

"Yeah, er, yes. She... didn't feel right."

Papa's frown deepened but Morgan just nodded as though Emma was making perfect sense. Good. At least one of them was optimistic.

"And you've had this nightmare every time you go to sleep?"

"No. Well, this is the first time I've had this dream but before that it was about my brother. That one I had every night for... a month? God..."

Morgan pulled herself up straighter as she came to a decision. "I can't make the visions go away. You will always have nightmares that come true."

"Oh," Emma looked down, a pit settling into her stomach.

"However..."

Emma's head snapped up hopefully.

"I can make it more bearable." Morgana removed an intricately designed bracelet from her wrist and offered it to Emma. "This is a healing charm powerful enough to give you deep, restful sleep for all but the strongest of visions."

"I..." Emma hesitantly took the bracelet into her own hands. "You're giving me your sister's bracelet?"

Shock flickered across Morgana's face before an impressed smile replaced it. "I no longer need it's aid."

Emma stared at this artifact from the Isle of the Blessed. A faint aura of white light surrounding it. Warm and comforting. She put it on her wrist. "... Thank you."

Morgana smiled that knowing smile of hers. The sun and moon beneath them shimmering in response.

Emma's eyes flicked to Papa, wondering if it would be rude to point out that Morgana was dead... She supposed it wasn't any of her business.

Chapter 24: Take a Look in the Mirror and What Do You See? Do You See it Clearer, or Are You Deceived... In What You Believe?

Summary:

Of Monsters and Men

"Honey, any minute now!" Zak Saturday pulled his wife out of the path of a lightning bolt as it struck a wall of the Louvre.

The stone charring and cracking on impact. Sprinting through the Aztec collection on display. The only light coming from the headlamp on Wadih's head and the lightning blasting over them.

"Don't rush me!" Wadih turned sharply around the next corner as another lightning bolt followed after them. Fingers blurring over the device in her hands.

"Giant lightning jaguar on our six!" Zak reminded her unnecessarily as they entered the chamber with the upside down glass pyramid. He turned and brought up the Claw, it's staff parts stretching out in warning. Zak's eyes and body glowed with the power of Kur. Wadih kept her back to the entrance.

El Jaguar bounced off the wall with the speed of his turn. Claws breaking the stone beneath his powerful legs as he landed. Feline head rising up to Zak's chest. "Where is Tezcatlipoca's mirror, gringos?" he growled, showing off his razor sharp teeth. "What have you done with it!?"

Well, that was just rude. "Uh, neither of us are white."

El Jaguar stopped advancing menacingly to stare incredulously at Zak's statement. He could put an awful lot of annoyance into a face that wasn't made for that expression. "Gringo doesn't mean 'white' stupid it means-"

"Now!" Wadih turned and attached the device to the end of Zak's Claw.

Zak grinned as he aimed the talon at the other end of his weapon at Jaguar and fired.

His Kur energy amplified the force field generator's output. El Jaguar shot another lightning bolt at them but the force field projection held, wrapping around him in an impervious bubble.

El Jaguar roared and slashed at the Kur reinforced barrier. Claws sparking against the orange sphere. He paced inside the small space.

Zak and Wadih sagged against each other with a sigh. Letting themselves feel the burning in their chest and legs from the chase. Wadih adjusted her hijab. "That was too close."

"I'll say," announced a new voice. Glowing green eyes staring out from a dark silhouette.

Zak and Wadih sprang apart to face the newcomer. Zak raising the Claw in striking- "Chat Noir?"

The Miraculer stepped out of the shadows made by the power outage. Eyebrow raised questioningly. "Zak Saturday? What're you doing in Paris? And why's Itzcoatl in a bubble?"

"Who?" asked Wadih.

"He means me." El Jaguar's fur rippled and pulled back from his body like a cloak. Muzzle shrinking into a human face and claws becoming fingers. Which he ran over his long, dark hair. A thick, black line was painted across his face, under his eyes and completely covering his nose. Contrasting with the warm brown of his skin. Jade eyes fading to a dark drown.

To the Saturdays' surprise the nagual was a muscular young man in his twenties. Almost half their age.

"Oh, I half expected him to actually be wearing a jaguar pelt," Wadih thought aloud.

The shapeshifter was wearing a full body suit of feather mosaics. Golden yellow backdrop with large round spots surrounded by smaller spots. Like oval suns or paw prints at certain angles. The combined effect mimicking the spotted pelt of a jaguar.

Zak thumbed over his shoulder. "This supervillain was trying to kill us."

"Kill you? If I wanted to kill you you'd be dead!" Itzcoatl snapped, crossing his arms.

"Not helping dude," Chat Noir pointed out.

"You threw lightning bolts at us!" Zak exclaimed.

Itzcoatl rolled his eyes. "Yeah? They're lightning bolts? As in, move at the speed of light? What, did you think you were dodging all of those?" he smirked.

"Actually, I thought you were just a terrible shot," Wadih mocked.

Itzcoatl growled, canines lengthening.

"Okay!" Chat Noir clapped his hands and all three humans jumped at the sound, sharper than it should be. "Itzcoatl, why were you shooting the Saturdays with lightning bolts?"

"He was after this." Zak reached into his backpack and pulled out a circular pane of black, volcanic glass. "The Smoking Mirror."

Itzcoatl's eyes widened in horror. "What did you do to it!?" he demanded.

Cracks were clearly visible across the obsidian mirror's surface where the pieces had been carefully sealed back together.

"It wasn't me!" Zak protested, a bit too defensively. "Argost was the one who shattered it! Anyway, it's dangerous. We can't let him have it."

"No te pertenese a ti!" Itzcoatl snapped. "It doesn't belong in this... museum." He let the word drip with scorn.

"The last time a supervillain had this mirror he almost took over the world," Wadih reminded them.

"Supervillain, ha!" Itzcoatl scoffed.

"Zak," Chat Noir held out a hand. Zak carefully passed the artifact over. "Tezcatlipoca's mirror, huh?"

Chat Noir's eyes glowed as he gazed into the shattered darkness of the Smoking Mirror. Chat Blanc stared back. "Hello, brother," he whispered.

"Huh?"

Chat Noir's eyes snapped up at the sound of Zak's voice. "This is from your culture, right?" he asked Itzcoatl.

"On my grandmother's side."

Zak looked from Chat Noir to Itzcoatl.

"And how long was this thing dormant before causing trouble?"

"Over five hundred years before these wannabe Indiana Jones' took it from the temple."

"Hey!"

Chat Noir shrugged. "Alright then." And tossed the Smoking Mirror at Itzcoatl. Dark motes and green sparks peeling away from it as it passed through the barrier.

"No!" Zak and Wadih rushed forward but they were blocked by their own force field.

"Why would you do thaaat?" Zak asked, his exhaustion creeping into his voice.

Chat Noir shrugged. "He's taking it back to where it belongs."

Itzcoatl clutched the broken mirror to his chest for a second. Overcome with relief before setting his jaw and pulling out an obsidian knife.

Sighing, Zak channeled the power of Kur into the Claw as he brought it down on the sphere. His own energy repelling him. "Can you turn it off?"

"I didn't exactly have time to make an off switch," Wadih replied as she tried to make a force field generator into a force field nullifier.

Itzcoatl placed the Smoking Mirror on the floor, knelt before it and stuck out his tongue.

"Just smash it," Zak suggested as he glowed brighter.

"Not that kind of generator!"

Itzcoatl brought his knife up to his mouth and sliced a cut into his tongue.

Chat Noir winced in sympathetic pain but didn't look away.

"Oh, that can't be sanitary."

"Focus!"

Holding his knife over the shattered mirror four drops of the nagual's blood dripped onto its surface. The obsidian shards bubbled as they reforged themselves into a single whole.

Stone walls rippled like images seen through water, floor slid like sand beneath their feet and the glass pyramid above them grew crystallin growths as Tezcatlipoca's power filled the room. Altering the presence of the antimatter universe beyond the mirror just enough so that it warped reality around it instead of annihilating it completely.

Zak's body rose from the floor, Kur's power coalescing into a sphere around him. Holding up the Claw in its staff configuration Zak pushed. And the force field shattered.

Itzcoatl ignored Zak as he whispered something to the Smoking Mirror in Nahuatl.

"You have no idea how dangerous..." Zak trailed off as the warping effect receded. The Louvre's stone solid once more. He lowered the Claws' talons. "How did you do that?"

"I told you," Itzcoatl rose to his feet, clutching the circle of obsidian to his chest. "It doesn't belong with you."

Zak's shoulders sagged as he let out a groan. It was past midnight and he wasn't exactly thirty anymore.

"Y'know, you could have explained instead of breaking into our airship," Wadih admonished.

"You broke into their airship?" Chat Noir asked.

Itzcoatl ignored this as he glanced from Zak to Wadih. As though just realizing they weren't trying to fight him for the mirror. Embarrassment briefly flickered in his eyes before stomping it down with indignation. "I mean... Your husband is the one that stole it in the first place."

"Steal is a strong... No, that's fair," Zak sighed, too tired to argue. Even though he'd been twelve at the time and his parents were the ones who-

"And gave it to the French. The French."

Yes, that.

"No offense," this Itzcoatl directed at Chat Noir who waved it away.

"... Well this has been interesting but we're going to bed," Zak announced, linking his arm with his wife's and turning to leave.

"Are you sure we can just go?" Wadih stage whispered. "He did almost set the airship on fire."

"If I never see that stupid mirror again it'll be too soon."

"Not exactly the vacation we were hoping for no," Wadih chuckled in wry amusement.

"Serves me right for coming back to Paris. I swear this city hates me."

Itzcoatl's human ears twitched in a way that let Chat Noir know he could still hear them too.

"I can see why El Tigre likes you."

"Itzcoatl Rivera, you know you can talk to me before breaking into a Secret Scientist base, right?" Chat Noir crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, putting just enough Dad Voice into his words.

"Si, Papa," Itzcoatl smirked.

Chat Noir blushed and pointed a finger at the nagual. "¿Que? ¿Queries que le diga a tu papa lo que estas haciendo?"

Itzcoatl's eyes widened fractionally. "You wouldn't."

"Stop antagonizing the other heroes in my country and I won't have to."

Itzcoatl muttered something about how the Saturdays were the only Secret Scientists that fit that description but nodded.

"... Hey, since you're here, have you gotten any sightings of a new villain?"

"A new villain? Here? In Paris? Besides you?"

"Haha. They'd be about this tall," -he gestured at chest level- "kinda scrawny looking."

"Scrawny for you or regular scrawny?" Chat Noir gestured at Itzcoatl's broad shoulders.

"A bit skittish. Very sarcastic. Can be kind of a spoiled baby if you..." Itzcoatl stopped as Chat Noir was looking at him funny.

"Itzcoatl, is your sibling in-"

"Okaykeepaneyeoutthanksbye!" Itzcoatl held out the Smoking Mirror and shadows swirled around him before he vanished.

Chat Noir didn't say that he could clearly see through the darkness as Itzcoatl stepped across the shadows and into an apartment. It wouldn't do to insult a follower of Tezcatlipoca like that.

"They had to be your kids, Manny," Adrien shook his head with a rueful smile.

---

Alya placed a hand on her cameraman's arm. He took a breath and nodded.

"Ready whenever you are," a raspy voice chuckled.

The woman in front of Alya was old and weathered but despite her wrinkled skin and the oxygen tube attached to her nostrils she still carried herself with poise and grace. A certainty that she was the most powerful person in the room even at the end of her life.

"Start from the beginning."

"If I must. I was born Claire Selton in Metropolis. Was always a bit of a 'problem child'. I think that's why my parents were so relieved when they could hand me off to the Center for Paranormal Studies. They never visited you know. Never asked questions."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Alya said, meaning it.

Claire shrugged her boney shoulders.

"What was the Center like?"

"Crowded. You might not think so but a handful of meta kids just learning how to control their powers can be very crowded. I was the oldest full timer there."

"Full timer?"

"Kids who didn't go home at the end of the day. For whatever reason." Claire sighed, leaning back down on her bed. Dyed red hair spreading out on her pillow. Grey roots showing.

"The researchers needed to go through training before being allowed to interact with any of the superpowered tykes. So they were some of the best teachers I ever had. They didn't look at me like I was a time bomb waiting to go off. They thought my powers were 'fascinating'." Claire chuckled which set off a coughing fit.

Alya offered her a glass of water which she took.

"I didn't blame them for not protecting me when the government men came. No, that's not right. I blamed the fuck out of them. But I also missed them."

"Who were the men that came for you? What did they want?" Alya prompted.

"Project Firestorm," Claire sneered. "They wanted to weaponize metahumans and I was the perfect test subject. My parents wouldn't even realize I was missing. Of course, once I realized that they wanted me to be their little assassin I escaped. Spent most of my late teens and early adulthood on the run from Colonel Kurt Gallagher. That's Kurt Gallagher."

Alya's cameraman gave a thumbs up to show that he'd caught the name loud and clear.

"They wanted a child to perform assassinations?" Alya didn't need to fake the anger in her voice. She was only disappointed at how unsurprising it was.

"The idea was that once I was old enough my training would make their deaths look like an 'unfortunate accident'. Hard to blame it on arson when you didn't have an accelerant or bomb parts... You know they arrested him? The Colonel? Not because he kidnapped a little girl and trained her to be a weapon. But because he wouldn't fall in line when funding was redirected to Project Cadmus!" Claire's body shook with rage.

Sweat beaded on Alya's forehead. A burning smell came from nowhere.

Claire took a breath and the heat subsided. "Kurt was never found guilty of abduction and illegal experimentation. Wasn't even found guilty of 'disobeying orders'. You need to actually stand trial for that. They locked him up to keep him quiet and mollify Superman. But that doesn't mean they stopped experimenting with metahumans."

"This Project Cadmus?" Rena Rouge knew about Cadmus from the Justice League but Alya didn't and neither did the public.

"Their magnum opus," Clair gave a mirthless grin. "They took DNA from several known metahumans and, what would you call it? Cloned their own metas. Rat King, Galatea, the Ultimen. All Cadmus. Their personal p-private ar-my." Coughs racked Claire's body. "No need to wait eighteen years for some schmuck to join up. They could harvest a fully grown brainwashed super soldier in a matter of months. Free will optional."

Alya swallowed, heart pulsing in her throat. "Why come forward with this now?" She knew Adrien was paying her medical bills but that wouldn't be enough. Not for this.

The former supervillain let out a short, sharp laugh and gestured at her bedridden form. "Not like they can take anything else from me now, is there? I don't have long left. Pyrokenesis can only hold off a lifetime of smoke inhalation for so long."

"Still, I want to thank you for coming forward. I promise that your story will be told. That people will know about Project Cadmus."

Claire smiled, "Be careful, Mme Cesaire. Powerful men don't take kindly to having their secrets exposed. Even decades old secrets."

"Not my first round with your government but thank you," Alya gestured for her cameraman to stop recording and rose to her feet.

"I wouldn't let that video out of your sight, Mme Cesaire!" Claire called as they left her room. "It might- cough -disappear when you're not looking!"

The guards on either side of Volcana's room closed the door behind them.

Once they were outside Alya leaned her head against the news van, taking deep breaths.

"You okay?" Her cameraman asked.

Alya let out a slow breath. "Yeah," she turned to look at him, straightening her shoulders. "Let's get the bastards."

---

Carapace flexed his muscles, the Turtle's power coursing through him. Rendering him invulnerable at the same instant the kid werewolf tried to sink his claws into Nino's chest.

A hexagonal outline flared from the point of impact. Sending the teenager flying back with his own momentum. The werewolf yelped, scrambled back onto his feet and tried again. With his fangs this time.

Nino backhanded him with his shield arm a bit harder than he ment to. The werewolf crashed into a tree several meters behind them. In his defense werewolf teeth weren't something humans could have a mild reaction too.

The kid snarled as he got back on his feet again but didn't immediately try to bite him. Fur bristled, ears down, yellow eyes reflecting the moonlit park.

"We don't have to go through this whole song and dance, dude. We could skip to the part where you tell me what's up?" Carapace offered, keeping his shield up, feet wide and knees bent.

The werewolf growled, his voice deep with an altered larynx. "What? So you can 'talk me down'? Tell me to hide again? To not act like a monster?" He paced around the hero, who kept his shield pointed at the giant wolf's teeth.

Carapace lowered his shield a tad to better look at the kid. "I mean, can't really do any of that if I'm outta the loop can I?"

"Good! It'll save me from your monologuing!" The werewolf sprang but instead of going straight for Carapace again he leapt onto a nearby tree. Using it's branches to spring over Carapace's head, claws extended.

They slid across Carapace's shield as he raised it up. The weight of a giant wolf pressing down on him. He let his knees bend just a little before tensing the muscles in his legs and pushed.

Using the werewolf's momentum to flip him over, onto his back. Carapace turned quickly to pin him with the shield but the kid shrank from giant wolf form to humanoid hybrid. Half man, half wolf, even more maneuverable.

The werewolf growled as he let out a series of swipes from his claws. Left, right, left, right. Carapace following his attacks with his shield arm. Stepping backwards with the force of his blows. He sensed Carapace losing ground and pressed his advantage, running circles around the hero. Supernatural speed making him practically a blur as he took every opportunity to swipe his claws across the Turtle's flesh.

But Carapace kept pace. His shield always there no matter how fast the werewolf moved. Sparks flying as his claws raked harmlessly on his Miraculous shield.

The wolf roared.

"Okay, time out!"

A wave of water burst out of Carapace's body. Swallowing the kid and anything else in a perfect sphere around Carapace. It's surface mimicking the same hexagonal pattern as his Shell-ter force field.

The kid's face was frozen in surprise, eyes darting around the unnatural orb. The green tinted liquid glowing green and giving off warmth that was almost too hot. Like being submerged in a hot spring. But with breath still in their lungs.

"Can't believe that worked," Carapace muttered to himself with a sigh. The newly acquired ability was definitely going to come in handy. "Will you talk now?"

The kid glared at him.

"Oh, right!" Carapace snapped his fingers and the waters of Protection swirled into a smaller sphere. Keeping the werewolf's legs restrained below the knees.

Immediately the kid tried to claw at the supernatural water immobilizing his legs but it was like trying to cut, well, water. Claws merely sliding through the warm liquid. No matter how much he tensed his legs they wouldn't budge.

Eventually tiring himself out the werewolf finally shifted back into his human form. Muscular body becoming far skinnier and at least a foot shorter. Clothes magically reappearing on his frame. Shaggy brown hair was consistent in both forms though. The kid was no older than Nino when he first became Carapace.

"You got a name? I can't keep thinking of you as 'the werewolf'."

The kid gave him a disgusted look but Nino was reassured that it was the one teenagers usually gave to adults who were being annoying.

"... Lucien," he said grudgingly.

Nino was a hundred and ten percent sure he got that name from the Underworld movies. Setting aside the urge to call 'Lucien' out on it he focused on the kid himself.

"You haven't been a werewolf long. Have you, Lucien?"

"What's it to you?" Lucien sneered.

"Paris is plenty crowded at night. Too crowded for a werewolf to go for a midnight stroll." Carapace didn't say that people had run screaming from a wolf that came up to their shoulders.

Lucien shrugged his shoulders but didn't meet Carapace's gaze. "Why should I care?"

"Because your a part of the shadow community now and they-"

"I'm not a part of shit!" Lucien bit out, grey eyes flashing wolf yellow. "I didn't ask for any of this! It's not my fault some jerk cursed me! I shouldn't have to follow their rules! Have to hide what they turned me into!"

"... You're right."

Surprise pushed back some of Lucien's anger.

"It's not fair that this happened to you. Shoving you unprepared into a world you don't understand is majorly uncool." Nino looked up at the full moon. "You don't know the rules of the shadows and the people you've grown up with your whole life are afraid of the moon's pull on you. You're afraid of it too."

"I'm not scared of nothing," Lucien countered but his words lacked any real force.

"It must've been so hard to resist her call. To try to be 'normal' even though that wasn't an option anymore. And it hurt when they ran away from you, didn't it? When you were just being a wolf."

"What would you know about it?" Lucien snapped. "What would you know about people looking at you like you were some dreg?"

Nino felt anger rear it's head for the first time that night. He gestured at his face as though saying Look At Me.

Lucien had the decency to blush. "S'not the same," he muttered.

"No," Nino agreed bitingly, "it's not. But that doesn't mean we can't understand each other, my guy."

Lucien scratched at his face awkwardly but didn't disagree.

... Carapace snapped his fingers and the rest of the magical water vanished. Lucien stumbling as he suddenly had to support his own weight again. But didn't fall.

"What? Why...?"

"There's a support group for people like you," Carapace pulled out a card and handed it to Lucien. "People who don't feel like they belong in the shadow communities for one reason or another and who don't fit in with the people of the light either."

Lucien stared down at the card. "You're... Not going to arrest me?"

Carapace shrugged. "For what? Scaring the shit out of a few tourists? My huuu- best friend does that every week."

Lucien pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. "There was also the food vendor."

The one Lucien had eaten. Or rather, had eaten the vendor's food and shredded his stall.

"Thankfully, we Miraculers are on good terms with the mayor. One word from me and it'll be good as new." Actually he was just going to have Adrien pay for it but that was on a need to know basis.

Lucien glanced at the card again then up at Carapace... He dashed out of the park, transforming mid leap. His hybrid werewolf form climbing the walls of the closest building. Once he reached the roof Lucien turned back. "Rena Rouge is my favorite!" He yelled down.

Nino grinned at this punk who wanted to get the last word in and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Mine too!"

---

Marinette stared at her ex-husband for a moment... Two. "Wh-what?"

"I told them," Adrien repeated. His eyes kept sliding off hers, a faint blush on his cheeks. Hands clenching and unclenching as he forced them back. He didn't want to feel ashamed of his choice. But his eyes kept sliding off hers.

"Told them... What?" Marinette asked slowly. Even though she knew the answer. Could feel it dropping like a stone into her gut.

"Everything."

No the stone wasn't just in her gut, it was too big for that. It was in her gut and against her chest and clogging her throat and-

Marinette couldn't breathe. Her breaths were too shallow. There wasn't enough air. Not enough. Oh God!

"Marinette! Breathe!"

She gasped, the sweet relief of oxygen filling her lungs. Her hands went to her head. "Ohhhhh," she groaned. "... Why?"

"They deserve the truth, Marinette," there wasn't as much accusation in his voice as there could have been.

"But... I... You..." The words wouldn't come. In their place was a maelstrom of terror and apprehension. "I need to talk to them."

"Louis doesn't want to talk to you," Adrien stated simply, as though he hadn't just stabbed a spear through her chest.

"O-oh... Emma and Hugo?"

"They didn't say."

Relief flooded Marinette's chest before anxiety wrapped it's hands around her heart. God, what would she say to them?

"... I have to go."

"Adrien!"

He paused at her voice. Half turned away. She didn't know what to say. No, that's not right. Marinette wanted to say how sorry she was. How much she wanted to fix things between them. How she missed him. Things Marinette had said a thousand times before. And Adrien had rebuffed a thousand times since.

"... Thank you," Marinette said instead.

Adrien didn't say anything as he walked away.

---

Felix grabbed the half empty bottle of scotch and threw it at his office wall. The shattering glass barely satisfying his urge to break things. The door to his office was locked and his secretary knew better than to intrude when he got like this.

The UK had finally agreed to extradite him so Felix flew quickly to company headquarters in the US. Decades of megacorporation lobbying had taken the bite out of the justice system here. So long as you played your cards right and left Metropolis alone. Billions of Fathom Manufacturing capital invested into America's ridiculously expensive arsenal made sure he was untouchable.

It was the least his deadbeat father could do.

"Ohh, bad day?" A teasing voice asked.

Felix pulled out a Triceraton blaster and fired.

The world glitched and the "man's" head was suddenly half a meter from where it used to be. A smoking hole in the wall instead. Reinforced draconium visible past the charred paint.

"I wonder if you actually think you can hit me," the man smiled, sickly sweet. Adjusting the cuffs of his white, vaguely futuristic business suit. Blue hair perfectly trimmed. Eyes seeing more than they should.

"Oh," Felix tossed the blaster onto his desk and reached for one of the other bottles. Undecided on whether it was for throwing or pouring. "It's you."

"You might be more enthused to see me," the businessman admonished good naturedly. "Considering the board has approved your proposal."

Felix stilled and the man's ever present smile widened just enough to show teeth.

The businessman walked over to the floor length windows and looked out at the megacorporation superscrapers and heavily trafficked sky lanes of Houston, Texas. So bright the night sky was the color of dawn. Millions of collateral crowding the streets. How quant. "Soon Fathom Manufacturing will have a revolutionary breakthrough in reverse engineering 'alien' technologies. Leading the world in an unprecedented era of progress."

And profit.

A grin made it's way across Felix's face as the wheels in his head turned. Imagining all the ways he could apply this newfound resource. "This calls for a toast!" Felix pulled out two glasses.

"That is, of course, if you can supply the payment you promised." The businessman's voice took on its first warning tone.

"Won't be a problem," Felix smirked, rising to his feet to offer his guest a glass. "Humans are all gullible fools."

The businessman's smile just widened as he accepted the glass of scotch.

Felix raised his glass. "To a fruitful partnership."

The businessman copied the gesture. "To record profits."

They drank.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr Graham de Vanily. The Conglomerate will be in touch."

When Felix lowered his glass the man was gone. His empty glass on Felix's desk. The door to his office still locked.

Chapter 25: Yeung Hoi Tin Wai Ngo Jeui Nang Leung...

Summary:

Allowing the sea and sky to give me strength...

The wooden sword hit Hugo on the left shoulder. Pain flaring from the point of contact. "Ow!" He swung his own practice sword in the direction of his opponent. Only to slice through air.

"Don't concentrate. Focus. Hearing your opponent's breathing should be as effortless as, well, breathing," Leonardo instructed.

Hugo struck towards the sound of his voice. Swords clashing, then he was gone. Swinging wide in an attempt to hit Leo while he retreated. Only to get struck on his forearm for his efforts. He pulled back with a hiss of pain, raising his guard again.

"Don't overextend yourself. It leaves you open to counterattack."

Hugo slashed at Leo's voice again but it was a feint. He heard the air swish against Leo's sword and turned at the last moment. Their weapons sliding against each other. Hugo felt where Leonardo stood from the pressure against his grip. He grinned, "Got y-"

His stomach lurched and a flat surface collided with his side. "... Owww!" Hugo complained from the floor.

"If you surprise your enemy don't hesitate. They certainly won't." Leo clapped his hands and the lights came back on.

Hugo removed his blindfold, taking Leo's offered hand. "This would be so much easier if we could train our senses to get super sonar. Like Daredevil!"

Leo grinned, counting the steps to the training rack where he left the practice sword, his white cane leaning against it. "That only works in comic books."

Hugo sighed. "Yeah."

"You've picked up the basics quickly though. I'm surprised you blocked that last strike." Leo turned to him. His eyes were clear but they could only see shapes and movement in bright light.

"Master Splinter says I'm a natural." Hugo only knew the sapient rat for two days but his opinion of Hugo was already important to him. Something about Master Splinter made Hugo feel safe.

"Don't let it go to your head," Leo teased. "Mikey's also a natural... Don't tell him I said that."

Hugo didn't quite get it but he had the feeling this was a warning to keep up his training. "Got it."

Raphael burst into the room. "Leo! We got trouble!"

Instantly Leonardo grabbed his cane and made sure his holographic projector was still on his wrist. "What's the situation?"

"A hovercraft full of LexCorp goons is heading for the Professor's Island. Mikey's already on the way. Get Donnie out of his lab at O'Neal Tech."

They rushed to the indoor docks where the on brand vehicles waited. Raph heading to the Shell Sub. "The Turtle Cab should take you through the tunnels the fastest."

"Let's hope Donnie fixed the guidance systems!" Leo practically flew towards the supped up taxi. The gate disguised as a wall already opening.

Hugo ran up to Raph as he boarded the sub. "What should I do?"

"Stay here!" And with that Raph closed the hatch. Submerging into the Central Park Reservoir.

Hugo stared at the bubbling water as the brothers took off. A gleam of metal caught his eye. It was a hovercycle stylized with the same green shells as Donatello's other toys. A sign hung over it's handles that read Hovershell Prototype Mark II Do Not Touch (That Means You Mikey).

A smirk crossed Hugo's face as he pulled out his Nigerian multitool.

---

With her eyes closed Emma focused on her body in the present moment. The stones she sat on, the wind in her hair, the smell of earth from the garden, the sun's heat on her skin, and the Hope of the Lighthouse against her soul.

'You know how the Keeper's magic feels. It saturates the very air. Now look deeper. Find the substance of your own energy.'

Morgan's words echoed in Emma's head as she followed her instructions. Turning her awareness inward, to the magic within herself. Her skin tingling as Emma centered the golden glow of her diffused energy. Pooling into an orb of light. Felt it fluttering against her chest like a second heartbeat.

'Good. Now ground yourself to the earth below."

Tendrils of golden energy reached out from the orb within her and grew like roots into the soil of the garden. Spreading into the many kilometers of stone until Emma reached the sand at the base of the Lighthouse. Drawing energy from Beru itself into her, amplifying her own power with the magic of the Sea of Monsters.

Moving it from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head. Emma's skin tingling as she pushed and pulled. Shaking her fingertips with jittery energy.

'Release the energy back into the earth. Let it flow out of you. Then let your own energy return to it's place.'

Emma did so. Her awareness of the Lighthouse fading as she drew back into herself. The golden light of the orb dimming as it faded back into her flesh, her blood, her bones.

"Good," Morgan praised, speaking aloud for the first time. "You have a firm grasp of the basics."

"Great! So can I do a spell now?" Please, she'd beg if she had to! Emma sat cross legged under one of the gardens' oak trees and followed Morgan in meditation for hours. Pushing negative energy away from their space. Which could've been fifteen minutes, just saying.

Then alternatively drawing energy from the earth far below, the air all around them or the celestial bodies above. That last one was harder than it seemed on account of said celestial bodies technically being in another dimension of the Bermuda Triangle.

Okay, it was kinda cool at first but now it was just getting repetitive!

Her mentor's piercing eyes took her in and Emma got the feeling she might as well have said her thoughts out loud.

"Is my training boring you?" The corners of Morgan's mouth twisted up in the implication of amusement.

"No, I love sitting until my ass falls asleep," Emma's mouth said before her brain could stop her.

"Ha! It's been so long I've forgotten..." Morgan looked far away for a moment. "But if you needed a break ask. Discomfort and hunger distract from the principles of magic."

Emma's stomach growled and her cheeks tinted pink.

This time Morgan did smile, rising to her feet and offering a hand to Emma. "Come. Let us find out what you make of Maritugan cuisine."

---

Louis took deep breaths as he let the music from his headphones thrum throughout his body.

It was fine. He got the same breakfast he always did. Slept in the same bed. Came home at the same time. He was just... Traveling a lot.

And meeting people.

Lots of people.

Really there didn't need to be this many people.

Two new people was perfectly fine.

"You don't have to go through with it if you don't want to," Booster Gold reassured him once Louis took off his headphones.

Louis shook his head. "I want to." Not entirely inaccurate. He did want to control his powers.

They left the empty locker room and entered a massive stadium that Louis was pretty sure was an Olympics sports arena. An obstacle course was laid across the racetrack. Louis' "instructor" was stretching in a mostly yellow and white suit reminiscent of the Flash. The teen superhero was only a little bit older than Louis, with his dad's red hair. Yellow tinted goggles hid the color of his eyes.

Louis didn't know why Wade West was okay just sharing his name like that. Louis was wearing a quantum masking device courtesy of Booster Gold. Thankfully, it didn't feel like the domino mask they tried. Louis shuddered at the memory. That was like putting sandpaper on his skin.

Wade zoomed up to them with a friendly smile. Louis just blinked and he was there. "Hey! First time?"

Louis nodded. "...Yeah."

"Alright! So first we're going to see if you can do the thing on command." Wade tossed a T-Sphere into the air and it began to circle around them. "Whenever your ready."

Louis looked up at the T-Sphere and imagined it falling dead to the ground. It did, rolling on the grass.

Wade whistled. "Schway!."

"Not really," Louis shrugged. He'd turned off an entire city after all. Or almost. Wade didn't need to lie about his skill level.

But Wade was shaking his head. "Nah, man. Those T-Spheres have a shit ton of power in their fuel cells and they're supposed to be EMP proof. It's way schway."

Louis suddenly didn't mind that Wade spoke a bit fast.

"Now, let's see your control!" Wade tossed three more T-Spheres into the air.

Booster Gold observed from the first row of seats as Wade tested Louis. Much better to have someone your own age walk you through it than be in a white, sterile Justice League lab. "You were right."

"Naturally," Skeets agreed. "Twenty-fifth century psychology is far more advanced than the present era."

"I don't think it's the lack of knowledge that makes this time period terrible for kids," Booster thought aloud. Watching as Wade turned shooting down the T-Spheres into a game. Telling them to move in different patterns to test Louis' accuracy.

Booster smiled as Louis started bouncing on the balls of his feet.

---

Hugo channeled as much qi into his hand as he could then slammed it down onto the top of the mech's head.

The remote control robot sparked as it's internal wiring and gears were shoved out of position. It's tank-like treads stopped as it's arm cannons lowered with a winding down noise. The blue optic sensors shattering and going dark.

Hugo leapt away from the corporate enforcement drone as another one launched a polymer net at him. Only catching it's out of commission fellow. Hugo concentrated on his qinggong technique to keep his body light enough to sail through the air. Suspending gravity's pull on him enough to flip over the mech shooting at him and land on the third one aiming for the commun residents of Professor's Island.

"You are in violation of New York Penal Code 140.05 and bill 2023-S597. Do not- Hey! Get off of there you stupid kid!"

The voice of a corporate security guard cried out from the mech's loudspeakers as Hugo landed on his multimillion dollar toy. Hanging onto its side Hugo pulled his arm back like he was about to throw a punch and slammed his palm onto the round, headless torso of the mech.

The robot jerked, it's face plate bending, and it toppled over with a crash.

He turned to face the last mech only to find Raphael's twin sais sticking out of it. Optics off and sparks dancing between the joints.

Raph pulled his sais out of the metal plating and gave Hugo an accusing glare. "What part of 'stay here' did you not get?"

"The part where you thought I'd listen to you?" Hugo suggested.

If turtles could turn red Raph would have. Not that it would've been visible under his holographic disguise of a broad shouldered, black man with freeform dreads.

"He's got you there Raph!" Mikey, er, Turtle Titan laughed as he flashed past at super speed. The black and orange blur knocking LexCorp Security goons into the air like bowling pins.

"Besides, weren't you younger than me when you disobeyed Master Splinter?" Hugo smiled innocently as he ducked under the stun bolt of an armored goon and jumped into an uppercut.

Raph grabbed two men by the head and slammed their helmets together. They slid to the ground with a groan. "Remind me to smack Mikey the next time he feels like storytime."

Before they could respond a dozen flying drones came out of the LexCorp corporate armored vehicle. Surrounding Raph and Hugo. "Attention! You are in violation of state sanctioned-"

Raph's sai slammed into one of the drones and it went flying into a tree.

"I thought those weren't for throwing?" Hugo asked as they stood back to back.

"I make exceptions for drones." Raphael began to glow. Red lines shining through his holographic disguise. The hairs on Hugo's arms stood on end as Raph's aura charged the air. A thunderstorm waiting to strike.

They glanced at each other, nodded, then bolted in opposite directions.

The drones' stun bolts hitting the ground they just vacated.

Raphael grabbed his sai from the downed robot and leapt from tree to tree. Using his agility to disorient the drone pilots. Two drones fired in a strafing pattern. Another drone rushed in front of him mid leap and fired it's stun beam. The yellow energy struck the red aura of Raph's spiritual pressure and harmlessly dissipated. Then the drone became harmless too as Raph barreled into it with qi enhanced momentum and durability. The mini explosion not even slowing him down.

Hugo didn't have time to admire Raphael's prowess as he was having trouble just keeping up. This wasn't like the skeletons where he could find cover and regroup. The drones were highly mobile and flown remotely by better trained pilots.

He ran behind one of the hedges and dropped to his back. A drone came flying over him and Hugo shot out his legs, pushing against the ground with his arms. Tearing off one of it's wing as his qi blasted into it.

"Yes!" Three more came flying towards him. Stun beams firing. "Oh, shit."

Taking them out one at a time clearly wasn't working, Hugo thought as he ran for it. Resisting the urge to jump over obstacles as being in the air with no way to change directions, while fighting an enemy who was faster than you, felt like a good way to get hit.

Case in point, the drone that circled around him and was now shooting at his face. Hugo ducked, sliding across the ground, oww, and grabbed it from below. The drone rose, trying to shake him off.

Okay, he probably had three seconds before being scrapped across the courtyard wall. Think, Hugo, think! He needed to take all the drones out at... the same... time! Hugo debated with himself for a second then called out. "Raph!"

"Little busy here kid!"

Hugo flipped himself onto the top of the drone as the others apparently decided to try ramming him off. He wasn't a multimillion credit investment after all. "I've got an idea! Can you lead them to the central walkway?"

"Hope you know what you're doing!"

Taking that as a yes Hugo channeled qi into his feet so he wouldn't go flying and pulled out his Nigerian multitool. A button on its side activating the screwdriver setting of it's red hard light. With a reverse grip Hugo plunged the multi-tool into one of the drone's seams and used its leverage to rip off an access panel. The drones behind him swerving to avoid the debris. "Lousy LexCorp piece of shit. Coolant, no. Weapons," -he pulled some wires and the stun beams were now non-operational- "no. Ah-hah!"

Hugo grabbed the wires for the guidance systems and pulled. The drone jerked sideways as Hugo took control from its pilot. The others following, still trying to ram him off.

Once they reached the target area Hugo pulled up. The other drones swirled as they shot past him. Hugo turned the drone back towards the ground and pushed against it with his feet. Some of the drones already rising toward him.

Trying not to think about how he never attempted an attack this strong without the supporting energy of the Pig Miraculous. In that moment of weightlessness Hugo pulled his fist back. Channeling so much qi into his hand, as much as he could spare, that it became visible as a red aura. Hugo struck down.

It was like the gravity was turned up to eleven. The drones shot down like stones from a sling. Their inner mechanisms crushed before they even hit the ground. The air pressure rattling the windows of the nearby buildings. Trees bending under his strike, some of the weaker branches snapping off. Four wide, shallow grooves like the imprint of a giant fist were vaguely visible from the air.

Then Hugo started falling.

Before gaining much velocity, or enough air to scream embarrassingly, Raphael leapt up and caught him. "What were you thinking!?" Raph demanded, qi aura dispersing as they landed.

Hugo groaned, his body protesting the overexertion of qi by going on strike. "Seemed like a good idea at the time?" he tried for a grin.

Raph's expression told Hugo that the only reason he didn't drop him was because he didn't think Hugo could stand up at the moment. "If anything happened to you, your dad would kill us."

Oh, there was a bit too much concern in Raphael's voice for Hugo to brush off. Damnit. He looked away. "Sorry..."

"Well, he'd kill you," Mikey said, appearing in a blur. "I'm his favorite!"

"Then you carry him!" So saying, Raph handed Hugo off to Mikey. Who wasn't expecting him so his position wasn't as comfortable.

"Ugh, none of that." Hugo lowered his legs to the ground and despite being wobbly he remained upright. Leaning on the Turtles but upright.

"Looks like we got all of them. Good work team!" Mikey grinned.

"We? You didn't take a single robot," Raph protested.

Mikey thumbed over his shoulder. "Oh yeah? What do you call those?" There were about fifty LexCorp Security stooges groaning on the floor of the commune's central courtyard.

Right, Hugo completely forgot about them.

Raph leaned past Mikey to get a better look at them. "Cannon fodder," he announced.

Hugo covered a laugh with his hand.

One of the commune leaders rushed up to them. Behind her the others were already cleaning up. Some taking a fire extinguisher to the wrecks of drones. "Thank you, Turtle Titan, Raphael. For defending our community," she praised.

Mikey beamed, striking a Peter Pan pose. "All in a days work Community Director."

The Community Director took in Hugo. "And you too, um..."

Hugo blushed and adjusted his mask. Raph stepped in front of him. "Just a Good Samaritan passing through."

"Am not," Hugo protested. "He's a comic book charac... ter. Oh. Nevermind." His blush deepened.

The Community Director gave Raph a knowing look as she smiled at Hugo. Her smile lines brightening up her face. "Well, thank you anyway. That was very brave."

"More like stupid," Raph mumbled. "Is anyone hurt?"

"None here," she replied. "And the children were sent to the far side of the island when we spotted the hover carrier."

Raphael didn't say anything but Hugo saw his shoulders relax.

"Did they break anything?" Hugo asked.

Again the Director shook her head. "You stopped them from damaging the greenhouses. All they broke were a few doors... And trees."

One of the LexCorp Security consultants groaned. Raphael pulled out his sais. Mikey's hold on Hugo's shoulders tightening.

The man let out a choking laugh as he rose to a kneeling position. "You stupid supers always think you're above the law," he spat blood onto the broken walkway. "But we have a legal right to detain all these fucking squatters. The State of New York is footing the bill."

The Community Director bristled. "We've been here for forty years! Some of these people don't have anywhere else to go!"

"Yeah, well, laws change," Douchbag Consultant replied dismissively as he ran a hand over his jaw where Mikey punched him. "And the previous owner never ceded the rights to his property."

"He kidnapped my parents and forced them to work for him!"

Douchbag Consultant shrugged. "Still his property. Should've filed a claim in court."

Hugo was contemplating if he could stay standing long enough to break Douchbag Consultant's nose when the sound of a hovercar reached his ears. He looked up and instead of the Turtle Cab he saw a hover truck with the logo for O'Neil Tech on its side.

The hover truck landed in the designated hover pad. Instead of knocking over trees in the courtyard like LexCorp Security did. Out stepped Donatello and Leonardo.

Or rather, Dr. Donatello in his human disguise wearing a dark purple business suit. Leo was in a jacket and cap with blue highlights. They were both slightly shorter than human Raph, even though they were all the same hight. Leo had the sunglasses he sometimes wore; Donnie had regular glasses and close cropped hair. Did Donnie need glasses? Hugo didn't remember. He could use contacts like Emma sometimes did. Wait. Stop. Focus!

Douchbag Consultant rose to his feet. "We have a contract for-"

"I'm afraid your contract's been voided," Leo interrupted. He held up a metal rectangle and a holographic paper whooshed out of it.

Douchbag Consultant snatched the hardlight projector out of Leo's hands and scanned through it. His face turning red.

"O'Neil Tech is now the legal owner of the Professor's Island." Donnie gestured at the commune inhabitants. "These people are welcome here," he turned back to Douchbag Consultant. "You are not. Take your employees and leave and we won't press charges for trespassing."

Oh, Hugo was sure Douchbag Consultant's eyes were going to bug out of his head. Heh. Instead he turned on his heel and started yelling at his men to get off their lazy asses or they were swimming home.

It took about five minutes for the last employee of LexCorp Security to get onto their hovercraft and shove the remains of their security mechs onboard.

"If you need your shell kicked again you know where to find us!" Mikey taunted.

Once they were gone Donatello scanned for any "forgotten" spyware. "All clear," he announced, taking off his holographic disguise. Leo and Raphael following suit.

"Clever move getting O'Neil Tech to buy the island Donnie," Raph praised, "But how'd you get the city to sign off on it?"

"Oh that. I hacked them," Donnie replied like he was informing them that he was cleaning the lair.

Four sets of eyes stared at him.

Then Michaelangelo threw his head back and laughed.

Raph was still incredulous. "You hacked the government?"

"They get hacked all the time, Raph," Leo pointed out.

"Leave it to Donnie to scramble the numbers!" Mikey chuckled as he placed an arm around Donnie's shoulders.

"So what is our status?" The Director asked.

"Officially? Exactly what I told LexCorp Security. The Commune for the Homeless is on O'Neil Tech property until the next fiscal quarter. Just to avoid suspicion. Then we can 'sell' the island back to you for a single credit."

The Community Director grinned. "So that's why you're the smart one."

"That's why he's the smart one!" Leo agreed. Donnie rubbing the back of his head as his brothers beamed at him.

The Community Director discussed purchasing some old but serviceable hover vehicles from O'Neil Tech's surplus. Donnie agreed that it would reflect badly on a "high-tech" company to have outdated technology but would be a shame to simply mothball them. Mikey made helpful suggestions like what colors to paint them.

And Raph laid a heavy hand on Hugo's shoulder. "C'mon, kid," he said, leading them out of earshot of his brothers or the commune residents. People picking up the scrap piles of former drones. Children running up to hug their parents.

"I couldn't do nothing while you guys protected them," Hugo said defensively.

Raphael sighed. "I really want to tell you how reckless you were. How lucky we were that those corporate bozos didn't have a permit for live ammo."

Hugo resisted the urge to make himself smaller. Which would've been ridiculous anyways since he was at least thirty centimeters taller than Raph.

Raph gave Hugo's back a hard pat, which almost sent him sprawling. "You're definitely Adrien's kid all right!"

A grin spread across Hugo's face despite trying very hard not to.

"Man, the Casey's would love you. But they got that thing with their Uncle Jason's funeral... Again." Raph looked distant for a moment before snapping his gaze back to Hugo. "Just don't make me have an awkward conversation with your dad, alright? He left us in charge and you're not bulletproof yet."

"Okay," Hugo agreed. "Wait, what do you mean 'yet'?"

But Raphael just smirked and walked off.

"Raph!" Hugo grinned "Whaddya mean 'yet'?"

---

The magic of the Lighthouse was far less overwhelming at its base. Being roughly two kilometers further away would do that. If she didn't think about it Emma could pretend it wasn't there.

And the port of Marituga was full of distractions.

It reminded her of the street markets Maman sometimes took her to. Though with the added salty tang of an ocean breeze. Fresh fruit from across the tropical islands of the Sea of Beru filled the stalls. The smell of fish caught that morning mixed with baking bread. Sailors (because practically everyone in Marituga was a sailor of some sort) haggled over the price of nets, water barrels, metal plating, charms, and anachronistic technology.

Most of the people came from the Age of Piracy and the Caribbean architecture of the buildings reflected that. But they also had electric signs from the present and future. Some roads were just wide stairs carved from the hill itself as Marituga was built on steeply rising ground in some areas. Wooden cranes lifting cargo from the dock proper to the higher levels of the town. The streets weren't made for wagons and there were no beasts of burden to pull them as far as Emma could see.

Emma sampled something from every stall it felt like. From creme pastries to octopus on a stick. There was food from across the world and across time. Spices she didn't have a name for revived her after the long walk down the Lighthouse. Whenever Morgan pulled out a leather pouch to pay the vendor shook their head.

"Por favor, Doña," one said as he bowed his head.

Morgan laid a hand on his shoulder and mouthed words in a language Emma didn't know. Welsh? The man smiled and bowed lower.

A pair of fishmongers haggled over the price of day old catch. It struck Emma that the deference shown to her mentor wasn't something Marituga was in the habit of showing to, well, anyone. Even that Lemurian noble needed two armed bodyguards to clear the way for him. Maritugans grumbling as they left only just enough room to pass by. Why would Morgan illicit more respect...?

"I thought Marituga was supposed to be a fancy spacetime crossroads or something," Emma observed as a group of skeletons walked past. The humans and Atlanteans giving them a wide berth. "but it's mostly..."

"People living their lives?" Morgan suggested. She'd traded her heavy robes for ones that breathed better in the morning heat. "They usually are. You must remember, Emma, that Marituga was founded after the paths to the Seven Seas were locked one way. This port was built by castaways and lost souls."

Morgan led them away from the market and onto a side street. The shadow of the three story buildings making it feel narrower than it was. Stopping at a wooden door with a ship vent coming out of the ground next to it. She lifted the brass knocker and let it fall.

"Go away!" an old, high pitched voice called from the other side. "We're closed!"

Morgan placed her hand on the door handle, lips moving silently. There was a click, and they walked down a flight of stone stairs into what could only be described as a witch's room. A round table low to the floor took up the center of the room with five cylindrical cushions evenly spaced around it. Shelves of books, cubards of preserved herbs, star charts and ocean maps covered the walls of the round room.

A little old woman sat opposite the entrance. Even shorter than Grandma Sabine. Grey hair done up in a tall bun with bangs framing her face, wearing multiple gold earrings and bracelets. The blue tattoos decorating her boney hands almost distracted from the claw-like nails. A cloak, once colorful now sun faded, covered her thin shoulders. Grey eyes glaring at them with suspicion. She was so much the stereotype of a witch that Emma almost laughed.

"Morgana," the reedy voice observed in annoyance. "If I knew it was you I would've locked the door."

"You did," Morgana confirmed.

Emma did a double take. Instead of the young woman in the flowing robes of a High Priestess Emma had walked through the bazaar with, there was another person standing next to her. Wearing a purple and black dress under golden ceremonial armor. A gold face mask covering her face, eye holes like dark pits. Her hands the the only skin visible, just as wrinkley and soft as the small lady's.

"And that wasn't enough of a hint for you?"

Morgana tossed a small leather pouch onto the table. It clinked as the gold coins inside it shifted.

The witch snatched up the pouch and weighed it in her hands. The pouch disappeared into her long sleeves and she rubbed her hands together. "Welcome! Welcome! What can I help you with? I have many popular spells I'm sure you'll like."

"I can craft my own spells, Sassafras. We are not here for you."

As Morgana said this another witch came in from a side room. Tall and young, with pale skin. Short, dark hair flairing out into spikes as it reached her shoulders. A white streak came out from under her headband. Raven feathers accenting the shoulders of her crop top. With black, fingerless gloves showing off her black nails. Unattached black sleeves covering most of her arms. She blinked grey eyes and Emma got a better look at her blue eyeshadow. Black boots and trousers the only concession to practicality.

But the most striking part of her appearance was the tattoo of a four pointed star under her right eye. And the large silver crescent that hung about her neck so the ends pointed to her shoulders.

Emma wondered if they could all see the way it shown with starlight.

"Mother, don't be rude to our guests." She bowed her head at Morgana. Emma noting that deference didn't come naturally to her. "To what do we owe your visit, Queen of the Fey?"

"Zephyra. I have taken on an apprentice."

Zephyra raised an eyebrow as her gaze turned from Morgana to Emma. Oh, wow she was beautiful... No... Not just beautiful. Enchanting. Her presence, her aura, it made Emma want to please Zephyra. To keep those eyes on her for just a second longer.

Emma popped the unconscious magic with a mental needle.

Sassafras' eyes gleamed with something besides annoyance.

"Name's Emma," she stuck her hand out as she said it.

Zephyra's grip was much stronger than her uncallused hands suggested. Damn, even without her aura Zephyra was beautiful. No, bad Emma, focus. "I still don't understand why you'd come to me."

"You are the most powerful practitioner of the Seven Seas," Morgana intoned. "You were literally born from these stars. Not even the Great Key itself has your connection to the Triangle."

"Ohh, stop!" Sassafras blushed, waving one of her hands in false modesty.

"She's talking about me mother," Zephyra deadpanned.

"Can't a mother be proud of her daughter?" Sassafras asked defensively, hands spreading in a dramatic fashion.

Zephyra rolled her eyes but didn't answer. "Alright, Emma, ready for a crash course in dimensional geography?"

"I dunno what that is but yes!" Anything to get out of this stuffy room and Sassafras' piercing eyes.

With a grin Zephyra grabbed the silver crescent from her necklace and tossed it into the air like a boomerang.

"Nebula Star!"

The amulet glowed as it spun circles around them and then they were gone.

"Finally!" Sassafras grumbled as she pulled out her crystal ball. "Some peace and quiet."

---

Louis stared at the game Wade made for them.

He stood at one end of an obstacle course while Wade stood at the other. T-Spheres floated between them as "enemy drones" or emitting holograms of hostages in cages floating over a lava pit.

Wade zoomed to his side. "Right! Y'ready?"

"Do supervillains really hold people over lava pits?"

"Lava pits, acid vats, starved piranha tanks, tanks of sharks with laser beams on top of their heads. Supervillains looove holding people over things to drop them into."

"Why not just shoot them?"

"Cause supervillains are Drama queens with a capital D... And it makes a good distraction so they can escape. The fuckers."

Louis chuckled. "...Can the hostages be velociraptors instead?" he asked.

Wade gestured at the T-Spheres and now the hostages were feathered bipeds instead of people. "Better?"

Louis nodded enthusiastically.

Grinning, Wade zoomed back to his position. "Aaand we're back my dudes, gender neutral, to the moment you've all been waiting for! In this corner we have the amazing, Hotrod! And in the other corner, the challenger, er, Booster Blue!"

Booster Blue? Louis glanced down at his light blue hoodie. Oh, that was so la-

A T-Sphere floated in front of Louis and projected holographic numbers.

3.

2.

1.

"Go!"

The enemy T-Spheres dived at the helpless dinosaurs in waves of three. They glowed red, yellow, green in rapid succession.

Louis raised his hands and imagined the red ones falling. Which they did right before hitting the cages. Some swirved around obstacles as they made their way to him. The holographic props saying things like Hospital and Fire Department. Which he was meant to avoid hitting while still protecting himself.

"Booster Blue successfully holds off the first attack but these villains aren't done yet!"

His eyes followed their path through the fake city. Imagining his power following them like a stream along a riverbed. The T-Spheres fell.

Wade grinned and he shifted the pattern of the T-Spheres so they avoided Louis' invisible stream. "What a move by Booster Blue! They'll have to do better than that if they want to get one over on him!"

One of the traffic light spheres hit the cages with a warning ring and Louis' eyes snapped back upwards. The offending red lights falling to the ground. The skittish velociraptors snapped their jaws but were otherwise fine.

"Oh! And one of Hotrod's dastardly minions almost takes out the defenseless dinosaurs!"

The T-Spheres emerged from the obstacle course and shot towards him. Louis shutting them down with a wave of his hand. The Hospital sign on the nearest wall flickering briefly.

The red lights came faster. The T-Spheres took multiple paths through the obstacle course. Sweat beaded along Louis' forehead, panting for breath. So much happening at once. Too much. Everything should just...

"We're coming into the final round my dudes! Can the challenger keep up with the fastest teen alive?"

... slow down.

The T-Spheres halted in their patterns. Hovering, stuck in whatever light they were presently giving off. The fake velociraptors' feathers weren't even shifting with the wind. There was no wind.

Wade stared at him with wide eyes. "How did you do that?"

Louis shook his head.

The speedster ran around the obstacle course. Louis could follow him with his eyes as he wasn't running any faster than an Olympic sprinter. Except the lightning that followed him everywhere was still there.

"Dude! I think you're nullifying the Speed Force!" Wade grinned. "That totally rips!"

Louis blinked. "What? No... My powers only work on energy and you're still moving."

"Dude I'm moving at my fastest so I don't look like that," he gestured at Booster Gold who did indeed look ridiculous. Frozen as he was half rising from his seat. Expression equally frozen in transition.

"But... Everything else is frozen too."

"Well, yeah, the Speed Force doesn't just power speedsters. It's like, electrons and shit. It's all movement. Everywhere. Everywhen."

... Louis wasn't sure he liked that explanation.

"The real question," Wade held his chin as he walked around Louis, "is how you're still moving?"

Louis hunched his shoulders and pulled up his hood.

"... Sorry," Wade stepped back and glanced away. "Good news is you can just stop and the Speed Force will bring everything back up to speed."

"... You're sure?"

"Oh, yeah. Speed Force is really big on balance. It won't let just anyone mess with the flow of time," Wade tried for a teasing tone. Louis appreciated the attempt.

He closed his eyes.

And the dull thud of three dozen T-Spheres hitting the ground followed.

"Are you- ahhhhh!" Booster Gold cried out as his body was suddenly snapped back to full speed. He lifted a thumbs up from his faceplant on the grass. " 'm okay!"

Wade glanced at his hands, which he vibrated into a blur. "Alright! We're back baby!"

"... Guess I failed, huh."

"What're you- oh," Wade gazed out at all the deactivated T-Spheres. Those poor holographic velociraptors. "Pfft! Nah, man."

Louis raised his head. "But the test..."

"Was an exercise dude!" Wade made to put an arm around Louis' shoulders then thought better of it. "The point was to see where your skills are at." He suddenly scuffed the ground nervously. "I admit, I did choose a higher setting than normal. But only because I wanted to see what you could do! And, well..." He gestured at the unfortunate T-Spheres with a sheepish grin.

Louis' emotions were doing complex somersaults in his chest. Because on the one hand, Wade was obviously a menace like the rest of the Flash Family. On the other... No one ever expected much from him.

Even Hugo and Emma treated him with kid's gloves sometimes. Just because he was sensitive didn't mean he was fragile.

"... We're going to have a talk about boundaries later," he promised.

Wade looked down. "Yeah..."

"Name's Louis."

The speedster's head shot up so fast Louis was surprised he didn't sprain his neck. Wade was grinning ear to ear. Louis gave his own small smile in return.

Booster Gold landed next to them just then.

"Booster!" Wade blurred up to him and grabbed the taller man's shoulders. "I've got good news and bad news. Good news is," Wade pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. "our boy here can one shot Amazo! ...Probably."

Louis blushed.

"Bad news is, you need professional help to train him before he's ready for that."

Booster drew himself up to his full hight. "I am professional help."

Wade scoffed, crossing his arms. "You're a glorified babysitter."

Boosters shoulders drooped. "I knooow."

Louis wasn't sure if he should be offended by that or not.

"What do you suggest?"

"Well he's a meta isn't he?" Wade turned back to Louis. "You're a meta aren't you?" At Louis' nod Wade grinned mischievously. "Might as well meet god!"

---

Hugo sat cross legged in front of Master Splinter as he poured the tea. Foot shaking gently despite trying not to fidget. Fingers running across the makeshift eyeholes of the blindfold Leo gave him that morning.

"My sons tell me you helped our friends in the commune a great deal." Hugo sat up straighter. "They also tell me you overexerted yourself." He slumped back down.

Master Splinter chuckled, pouring their tea. "You are impatient young Hugo. Your desire exceeds your present capabilities."

"I still won," Hugo protested as he took his cup.

"Perhaps," Master Splinter conceded. "But your siblings do not follow your path." At Hugo's puzzled frown Master Splinter explained. "I taught my sons to fight as a team. So that they may cover for each other's weaknesses." Master Splinter rose and grabbed a wooden box next to his ancestral altar.

Hugo stared at his tea. He didn't even think about Emma and Louis. No, that wasn't true. He was trying not to think about them. Because then he'd think about the Rose Tinted Day and how completely he'd failed to protect them. His grip tightened on the teacup.

Master Splinter sat back down and offered the wooden box to Hugo. "If you must rush headfirst into danger then I will provide you with all the tools I can."

Curiously, Hugo took the bamboo box and slid off it's lid. His eyes widened. Inside there was a yī-fu of black and reddish orange. As well as shoes to go with the uniform. He ran a hand across the fabric.

But what really caught his eye was a circular, golden amulet. Hugo lifted it up by the leather cord. Surrounded by five raindrops was a red, three toed mark of a dragon. The amulet thrummed with energy.

"What is it?" Hugo breathed.

"Think of it as a key," Master Splinter explained.

"What's it unlock?"

"You, young Hugo. It unlocks you."

---

Knight ran the numbers again.

Processing:

• Antimatter negative
• Magic levels inconclusive
• Microwave background radiation identical
• Atmosphere identical
• Spatial transmigration 0
• Temporal transmigration 10 years
• Energy escalation consistent

Conclusion: breach imminent.

Bishop entered the observation room. Wearing his sunglasses as always due to his light sensitivity, even in this dim lighting. In the twenty years since Knight's birth Bishop hadn't gotten so much as a wrinkle or grey hair.

"Knight, report," Bishop ordered.

Knight's holographic face, like a smiling opera mask, appeared to the right of Bishop to not imped his view of the containment room. "No change, sir. The breach continues to steadily gather energy from the other side. However we have very little data on this type of anomaly. I cannot narrow down the window any more, sir."

"An anomaly is natural," Bishop corrected neutrally. Purplish light playing over his face from beyond the bulletproof glass. "This is directed."

"Of course, sir." Knight conceded.

"And our guest?"

"Stasis field is the only effective way to contain him at present. Advise against further attempts at interrogation until a more adequate method of restraint is developed."

"Meta dampeners didn't work?"

"His abilities were not noticeably impeded," Knight confirmed.

"Magic wards?"

"Unclear."

"I don't like surprises."

"Of course, sir. Unfortunately, we still haven't managed to identify him." Knight displayed holographic text and the photo of a young Asian man. Or at least, it should be past the static.

"Quantum masking," Bishop observed.

"Apparently, sir."

Bishop read the files far quicker than a normal human though still slow by Kanté standards. Stopping at the part where their guest mentioned the 'Hamato Clan'. "Well, shit."

"My thoughts exactly, sir."

Bishop pressed his lips together. "Do we have a location?"

Knight scanned the reports. "Last seen protecting the Commune for the Homeless on the Professor's Island."

"Of course those Turtles would stick their noses into it!" The first trace of anger crept into the frustration of Bishop's voice.

Knight refrained from pointing out that the terrapin mutants did not have noses. "We have no evidence LexCorp is working with the EHC."

"They're in contact with someone," Bishop asserted. "Or they wouldn't keep sending zeta beams down to this continent."

Knight said nothing because Bishop was right.

After staring down at the containment room Bishop turned on his heel. "Inform me of any changes to the breach or our guest immediately."

"Of course, sir." Knight bowed his head in the imitation of a nod. Then his face vanished. Better able to monitor the containment room from his cameras.

In the center of the stark concrete box that was the containment room was a glowing purple outline. A hole in Reality. And beyond it was the starscape of the Bleed between, well, everything.

It was only the size of a golf ball.

But it was getting bigger.

Chapter 26: Every Time You Are Succeeding, There's an Old Man Somewhere, Seething!

Summary:

Spells of Binding

Emma felt exhausted as she followed Morgana back to the Lighthouse. Head bursting with everything she'd seen and heard. Clothes salty from seawater. Shoes still sticky against the stone streets from when they entered the Sea of Blazz, she'll need new, unmelted ones. A cool breeze fluttered past and Emma shivered as her body remembered the bone deep chill from the Sea of Sino.

Neon signs turned on as the sun set. A waxing crescent visible in the darkening sky. Apparently "null time" didn't mean a stop to the progression of events. She rubbed her temples. Metaphysics made her head hurt.

So distracted from the overload of information was she that Emma didn't see the other girl until they all but crashed into each other.

"Oh! Sorry, I- Izel!? What're you doing here? And why are you in a mariachi suit?"

Izel stared at her like a deer in the headlights, mouth hanging open. Her eyes flicked from Emma to Morgana and back again. "... It's a charro suit actually."

Emma took in her best friend's guilty expression, the various herbs she held under one arm, and the faint glow from her bronze boots. "Oh, you jerk!" Emma punched her in the arm.

"Ow," Izel winced not even trying to dodge her. "I deserved that."

"Why didn't you tell me you were a witch?" Emma demanded, crossing her arms.

"Prefer 'bruja' to be honest." Izel rubbed at her arm.

"Don't change the subject! We tell each other everything!"

"... Well, not everything."

"Apparently!"

Izel shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't know your dreams meant you had magic."

Emma rolled her eyes. "What else would they be?"

"Meta powers activating, a minor god giving you a warning, the ambient magic in your creepy mansion-"

"Hey!"

"-giving you a singular vision, temporal anomaly, a demon messing with you..." Izel counted out the possibilities on her fingers. "... Okay probably not that last one. The wards around your mansion are stupid strong."

"Well, okay," Emma conceded, a bit mollified. "But you still should've told me!"

Izel gave her an incredulous look. "What that you might have a gift for divination so strong it'd make the Oracle of Delphi jealous?"

"Yes!" Obviously. Duh.

"... Oh." Izel looked down.

"So... why didn't you?" Emma asked, the hurt in her voice rising above the anger.

"I... Do you know why I moved to France?"

Emma frowned. "Studying abroad wasn't it?"

"It was because I got my friend hurt," Izel's voice wavered and she took a breath. "I wasn't born with magic. I had to work my ass off to learn the simplest spells. Not like my siblings." She laughed without humor. "When one of my friends showed a real gift for magic I pushed her into it... She wasn't ready. No, more than that she didn't want to. Magic scared her."

Unbidden, Emma thought of the frightening things her visions had shown her. "I can imagine," Emma said softly.

"I didn't want to lose another friend," Izel sniffed.

"..." Emma pulled Izel into a hug.

"What's this?"

"Looked like you needed it."

Izel snorted but returned the hug. "Sorry my baggage kept me from helping you. I've never told anyone else about it."

"What're best friends for?"

"I'll make it up to you."

"You better."

They pulled apart and gave small relieved laughs as the tension eased.

Morgan whispered something to herself. The sound soothing people's curiosity so their gaze slid over the two girls. The nearby market still drawing a crowd even this late in the day.

"Oh, right! Izel this is..." Emma noticed the golden armor was gone and the person in front of her had changed back. A woman a decade or so younger than Maman. "... Morgan. My mentor...ish."

Izel's eyes widened. "I think I prayed to you once."

Morgan arched an eyebrow. "You're thinking of the Morrígan. She is Irish, I... am not."

"Right, right." Izel kept staring at Morgan, awestruck.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Anyway, are you staying at the Lighthouse?"

Izel snapped out of her gawking. "Stay? Oh, no no no. You don't want to stay in the Triangle if you can help it. Leads to all sorts of timey wimey shenanigans when you go back."

"But I slept here last night?" Emma gave Morgan a questioning look.

"Short stays are fine but your friend is right that the longer you remain in the Seven Seas the more time will shift back on Earth."

"You might've mentioned that!" Emma said, indignantly.

"I didn't see the need. With the Lighthouse here we can summon a vortex whenever we need to and it will deposit you where and when you came in."

"True enough," Izel agreed. "If you're powerful enough."

"I was the most powerful sorcerer in all of Albion."

"I thought Merlin was the strongest?"

"Don't push it, kid."

Izel straightened. "Yes, ma'am!"

Emma smirked at her and Izel stuck her tongue out as they followed Morgan to the Lighthouse.

---

"I can't believe he called me 'god'," Zak Saturday grumbled.

"Really?" Booster asked. "I thought it was perfectly in character."

Zak gave him a dirty look before turning his gaze back to Louis. The boy tentatively ran his hands against Komodo's invisible scales. A smile playing on his lips. He started as Komodo became visible again, the dragon's snout pointing right at him.

Komodo tasted the air between them before indifferently laying back down.

"Huh. Komodo's not usually so fond of new people," Zak pondered as Louis started scritching the top of Komodo's head. His brother letting out a pleased growl.

"You don't say." Booster Gold didn't mean to make his comment so sarcastic, honest! But that didn't stop Zak from grinning at the memory of Komodo chasing Booster across the airship when they first met.

"I dunno what you expect me to do though," Zak stated.

"You were literally the most powerful metahuman on Earth at fourteen."

"Thirteen."

Booster gestured at him with both hands as if to say, 'See?'

Zak chuckled.

Komodo must've decided Louis was an excellent pillow because the next thing he did was lay his large head on Louis' legs.

"Oof! Hey, you're heavy!"

An eight foot tall gorilla-cat hybrid snuck out from behind some crates and effortlessly lifted both of them, one in each arm.

Komodo hissed and snapped at Fiskerton who dropped him to avoid getting chomped. Grumbling at his brother's manners. Komodo practically slithered away but not before sticking his tongue out at Fisk, who returned the gesture.

Louis stared at the humanoid being holding him off the floor. "... You're tall," was the only thing his brain provided.

"Amma Fisk!" Fiskerton introduced himself as he set Louis back down, far more gently than the wriggling Komodo.

Hoody no longer digging into Louis' armpits he gazed up at Fisk. Eyes dropping back down to his furry chest. Fisk had big eyes. "Louis... What are you?" It wasn't until he'd already spoken that Louis wondered if that was a rude thing to ask a cryptid.

"Amma Lemurian!" Fiskerton puffed up his considerably large chest with pride. Cat ears rising up.

"I thought Lemurians were the other aquatic race? The ones always fighting with Atlanteans?"

Fiskerton sat down and patted the floor. Louis accepted and the cryptid went into a lecture about the difference between the First Lemurians, his people, who lived on the continental islands of Lemuria before they sank into the Pacific Ocean. And modern Lemurians, aquatic humans that migrated to the sunken continental shelf after the Cataclysm.

Louis made a face after Fiskerton's explanation. "But then why call both species 'Lemurian' at all?"

"Ee not call us Lemurian. Water hu-mans not call em self Lemurian. Lumurian you call us."

"Of course we would," Louis sighed with a roll of his eyes, humans could be so uninspired sometimes.

Zon chose that moment to fly into the hanger. Cawing as she flew from one perch to another. Louis' eyes doing a passable impression of popping out of his skull.

Yeah, Zak thought, his sister did have that effect on people. She was a pterosaur that glowed after all.

"That's a pterosaur!" Louis exclaimed. "You're a pterosaur!"

Zon preened at his attention. Gliding down to the floor next to the new human. She was at least 60 centimeters taller than him, the long neck adding a lot to her hight. Wingspan at least twice as long as her hight, which she folded to stand on all fours like a bat... or a dragon. She blinked at him from the side, as her long bill with a raised ridge on the end made directly facing people tricky up close

Louis bounced to his feet. Hands reaching out to pet Zon before retreating.

"It's okay," Zak called, "Zon's much friendlier than Komodo."

That settling the matter, Louis ran his fingers across her feathery mane. "Ada! Ada! Ada!" he grinned. Her skin was covered in a thin coat of feather-like hairs instead of scales.

Zon trilled happily, giving Louis a good look at her teeth.

"Long and pointy for catching fish," Louis whispered to himself. "Can I ride you?"

Zon cawed and flapped her wings. Jumping more than flying towards her bowl and digging in.

"Aww," Louis drooped.

Fiskerton said something.

"I'm not pouting!"

Zak chuckled, "It's nothing personal, Louis. Zon's just particular about who rides her."

Louis blinked as though just remembering Zak was there. "Did you call the komodo dragon 'Komodo'?"

Oh, boy. "Yeah?" Zak admitted tentatively.

Louis made a face. "That's so lazy."

"I was five!" Zak defended himself as Booster cackled behind him. "I'll kick you off this airship, Booster. You know I will."

"Oh, no." Booster lifted his feet off the floor and leaned on an imaginary couch, head resting on his hand. "Whatever shall I do?"

"Stupid flight suit," Zak muttered.

"I thought Secret Scientists worked mostly with cryptids?" Louis asked.

"Yeah?" Zak didn't understand what Louis was asking.

"But... Komodo isn't 'unknown' and Zon's a pterosaur." Louis looked at Fiskerton who was trying to take one of Zon's fish. "Fisk is the only one who meets the definition."

Oh, that's where the confusion was! "Do you know what a cryptid is?" Zak asked in his teacher voice.

"Creatures disputed to exist by conventional science. Cryptozoology was seen as a pseudoscience until the War of the Cryptids revealed the existence of the Secret Scientists to the public."

Zak winced. "Yeah, not our best moment."

"But Hotrod said you were the 'god of cryptids' and could control them." He did have a smug look on his face as he said it though...

"Influence, not control. They never get that right," Zak mumbled that last part.

"So, why can you control Komodo but not a regular komodo dragon?"

Zak looked at Booster who lifted his arms in a Not My Problem gesture. "Don't look at me! I'm not one of 'the Children of Kur'."

"That little twerp! I swear, I'll..." Zak muttered. He sighed, looking back at Louis who was looking at Zak's initial on his shoulder pads so he wouldn't have to make eye contact. "You have to understand, the Secret Scientists thought keeping cryptids hidden from humanity was the best course of action."

Louis thought back to his history class and books on endangered species. So many cryptid populations never exceeded more than a handful. Meaning they were especially susceptible to habitat loss. But...

"There was still a black market for cryptids though, wasn't there? And climate activist groups used cryptids as 'photogenic' mascots to preserve the habitats of less media friendly animals."

Zak nodded. "There's more poachers now that everyone knows about cryptids of course, but so far the results are mostly positive. We Secret Scientists can work more openly with indigenous communities to protect their land... Anyway, what I mean is that we tend to keep secrets even now."

"About why cryptids are categorized as their own class of creature?"

"Yup," Zak popped the word with a grin. That was the right question. "What other beings on Earth have unique adaptations, powers or physical mutations that separate them from the norm?"

He gestured at Fiskerton and Zon who were still fighting over the fish. Komodo appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the last one then disappeared as he ran off. Fisk and Zon chasing the floating fish around the hanger. Zak rolled his eyes fondly.

Powers. Mutations. Isolated specimens. Disparate species. Yet all cryptids. The clues clicked into place. "They're metas," Louis breathed in awe. "Cryptids are metas. But how? I thought only humans had the metagene?"

"So did we! It's only after the government declassified some of their genetics research that we discovered that's not the case. We compared their notes on the metagene with the cryptid genomes we have on file and guess what? It's identical! The metagene is present in all life on Earth. From the smallest amoeba to the largest dinosaur."

Louis' mind reeled.

They knew that all humans had dormant meta genes since the Bang Baby cure temporarily lowered Dakota's metahuman population to pre Big Bang levels. But none of the books on cryptids so much as hinted at something as foundational as all cryptids having active meta genes. And Hugo would've mentioned it if his superhero history said anything about other species being metas. Sure there were Atlanteans and Lemurians but they were both offshoots of humanity.

Louis started shaking.

"Oh, god. You're not broken are you? Booster! I think I broke him!"

"Chill, Zak. He's processing."

"This. Is. So. Cool!" Louis exclaimed, bouncing on his feet.

Booster grinned as Zak gave a sigh of relief.

---

"And that is how we came to be," Master Splinter finished.

Hugo's eyes sparkled as he leaned forward, literally on the edge of his seat. No really, the couch would've flipped over if there weren't four Turtles acting as a counterweight.

"That was the most comic book origin story I've ever heard!" Hugo complimented, voice speeding up as he spoke.

"I know right!" Mikey grinned, nudging Raph with an elbow. "See? He gets it."

"It's a good story," Raph agreed, pushing Mikey off the couch's armrest by way of his face.

"Ow!"

"Master Splinter is the best at telling it," Donnie affirmed.

"That's because he was actually there for all of it," Leo pointed out with a grin.

"I'm sorry about Hamato Yoshi, Master," Hugo said, sobering. Hearing about Master Splinter's own master set a fire in Hugo's heart. Warmth that he couldn't quite describe.

Master Splinter nodded his appreciation. "Thank you, young Hugo. With my master avenged the pain of his loss does not strike me as often." He raised his arms to encompass the five of them. "The heavens saw fit to give me four sons and many more students to pass on my master's teachings. Now you are one of them."

Hugo blushed and rubbed the back of his neck with a smile.

"Ah, enough with the mushy stuff," Raph interrupted as he and his brothers wiped their eyes. "Let's get back to training!"

"Very well, Raphael," Master Splinter sat cross legged where he stood. "We will all practice our much neglected technique of meditation."

Raph and Mikey groaned while Leo and Donnie perked up.

---

"Are you sure we should be in here?" Emma asked.

"It's the Seven Seas. If you lie about your age they'll serve rum to a ten-year-old," Izel said without glancing up from the menu.

"That doesn't make me feel better," Emma hissed as a ghostly waiter poured red wine into their glasses before floating away.

"I thought you were of age according to French custom?" Morgan asked as she breathed in the aroma.

"Not the point!"

"Relax Emma," Izel leaned over and tapped at a sigil on the cover of the menu. "See that? That means that anyone trying to start shit will be instantly teleported to the nearest body of water to cool off."

"Oh," that did make Emma feel a bit better.

On account of there being at least a dozen supervillains in the dining hall (club?) with them.

The Siren Song (terrible name; Louis would hate it, Hugo would love it) was the most modern looking place in Marituga. The walls and floor were still made of limestone but polished to a fine sheen. The tables around the stage were covered in white cloth with a short, squat candle in the middle. The bar and stage equipment looked modern if not outright futuristic.

Atlanteans, humans, skeletons and other beings sat at other tables. The dishes weren't as fancy as some of the restaurants Emma was dragged to but they were definitely more appetizing. Even the ectoplasm infused alcohol the undead were drinking. Though that might say more about rich people food than it did about the Siren Song's menu.

"Why are we here again?" Emma repeated.

"Their ceviche is amazing," Izel smirked, teasingly.

"And the Siren Song is neutral ground. An excellent place to observe the power of practitioners on the opposite side of the board... Without dying that is."

"Oh, great!"

Morgan just smiled at Emma's sarcastic tone and gestured towards the stage with her wine glass.

The lights dimmed, plunging the room into darkness despite the many candles. A chorus vocalized as a spotlight illuminated a woman on stage. No, not just any woman. An immortal. A goddess.

Circe smiled as she approached the mic stand. Hair a lustrous purple that fell down her back. The same shade of lipstick stark against her lightly tanned skin. A sweetheart style red dress flowed to the floor while leaving her shoulders exposed. Red gloves went all the way up her biceps.

Music from the undead band swelled and Circe's voice filled the room.

"I met a woman with lips so red..."

Another spotlight illuminated someone else. A goddess reclining on a floor couch in the shape of a lion. Her dress was made of scales of lapis lazuli, waves of the material overlapping like chainmail armor or the scales of a fish. Multiple layers of horns curving forward formed her helmet.

"A face so lined like spider webs..."

Inanna. Goddess of Sex. Goddess of War.

"I'll always remember the things she said..."

Images filled Emma's vision. She couldn't tell if the were vision or illusion. Only that they covered the entire stage behind the goddesses.

"They were so wise, she opened my eyes, and...

Inanna out drinking Enki, God of Water, God of Creation.

"...they'll never close again!"

Inanna convincing a drunk Enki to give her the sacred "mes" that allowed human culture to exist.

"Oh, how she sighed when she stubbed her cigarette..."

Emma sat up straighter. The mes Enki gave Inanna. They were Miraculous.

"I felt compelled to enquire of her success..."

Inanna fled Eridu, the seat of Enki's power, atop the Boat of Heaven. Heading for her own city of Uruk.

"How do you do, how can you be so in love with yourself?"

Enki, now sober, now enraged, sent monsters to chase her down before she reaches the city.

"Tell me, please, 'cause I need help!"

They all fall to Inanna's divine attendant the goddess Ninshubur.

"She said:"

Inanna rose in a single fluid motion. Encompassing the audience with her arms. Voice booming without the need for a microphone.

"Every time you are succeeding..."

The image changed. Sinestro and his Corps burning star fleets from the sky. He smiles as his Corps brings Fear to entire solar systems.

"...There's an old man somewhere, seething!"

Behind Sinestro a woman with blue skin and pointed ears hides her disdain. Chained by yellow energy to the Book of Parallax.

"And spite's as good a reason to take his power!"

Lyssa Drak of the Sinestro Corps rises from the audience to Emma's left and floats to one side of Inanna.

"When you hate the body you are in..."

The view shifts and the Sinestro Corps retreats from the firey breath of Rage.

"Oh love, you're acting just for him..."

Another alien woman burns through the Yellow Laterns. Her skeletal wings flaring as she descends on them like a bird of prey.

"As he counts his gold and green in his ivory tower!"

Bleez of the Red Lantern Corps rises from Emma's right.

"Our fear it lines his pockets love!"

Lyssa Drak sneers at the Red Lantern as Inanna pulls a yellow crystal construct from her ring.

"So take that rage and bottle up!"

Bleez growls at the Yellow Latern as Inanna pulls a stream of red flame from her ring.

"And put a drop into his cup of wiiine!"

Inanna claps her hands together over her head. Light flared from between her fingers as the crystal and the flame come into contact.

"You don't need him, you don't need me!"

The glowing amber of Fear and Rage floated to eye level. Without touching it Inanna pulled and the amber split in two.

"With that poisoned bottle, you'll be free!"

Lyssa and Bleez snatch the toxic light as the two halves float towards them.

"But be damn sure you don't mix it up with miiine!"

With a wave of Inanna's hand the Lanterns were gone. Their images flying in different directions of space. The chorus vocalizing as the spotlights returned to only illuminating Inanna and Circe. Throughout the performance the wrinkles on Inanna's dark brown skin faded until she was a young woman again. Muscular arms filling with the vitality of youth. Dancing with the rhythm of the music.

"I met a young girl with eyes so bright..."

Circe sang . The image showed another woman, barely an adult. No, not just any woman. A princess.

"She was already getting sick of life..."

She screamed silently as a nightmare awoke her. As it had every night since she could remember.

"Her arms were laden with his merchandise..."

The court physician knew her visions were of magic. Yet he gave her sleeping draughts. Yet he gave her useless drugs.

"She asked me why I no longer try and waste my time..."

Emma turned to look at Morgan but she wasn't there. She was on the stage.

"And I said: 'Spite'!"

The three goddesses' voices rang out like a bell. They swirled around each other. Voices thrumming with power. Arms directing the flow of magic.

" 'Cause every time you are succeeding!"

A boy only a few years younger than Morgan lies to her face. She reaches out to him. Desperate for connection. For understanding.

"There's an old man somewhere seething!"

And Merlin Emrys lies to her!

"And spite's as good a reason to take his power!"

His power. His purpose. His King.

"When you hate the body you are in..."

Merlin and Arthur vanish as another blond man emerges from the shadows.

"Oh love, you're acting just for him!"

Felix smirks at Emma as she backs away. Heart hammering against her ribcage like a bird trying to escape.

"As he counts his gold and green in his ivory tower!"

Felix rises, a giant looming over her. Fingers outstretched. Strands of webbing tangling her limbs as she tries to flee. Fingers scratching her arm as she claws at the strands.

"Our fear it lines his pockets love!"

The string shoots past her. Catching her Papa in their web. Her brothers. Her Maman. Heat burns through her chest at the sight of Felix puppeteering her family.

"So take that rage and bottle up!"

From the darkness Morgan's hand grabs onto the strands and pulls them free of Felix's grasp. The black string falling limp into Emma's hands.

"And put a drop into his cup of wiiine!"

Inanna's massive hands rise from the void and press Felix flat even as he pushes against her.

"You don't need him, you don't need me!"

A photo flutters past Inanna's fingers. Emma plucks it from the air. It's a picture of Felix.

"With that poisoned bottle, you'll be free!"

Circe walks up to her and hands her a pen with a wink.

"But be damn sure you don't mix it up with miiine!"

Emma stares down at the three objects in her hands. Sweat beading down her face.

"Be damn sure you don't mix it up with mine..."

Emma is in her seat again and so is Morgan. Inanna walks back to her lion, who is not a couch at all. The feline rising to his feet, Inanna beside him as they walk into the shadows. The power in the air winding down with the song.

"I met a woman with lips so red..."

Circe finished. Running two fingers over her own lips. Turning her lipstick from purple to red.

Enki stood at the gates of Uruk. Having failed to retrieve the mes. The god smiled and bowed to Inanna. Goddess of War. Goddess of Sex. Queen of Heaven.

"Always remember the things she said..."

Emma felt Morgan watching her. Fingers clenching on the picture, pen and string still in her hands. Heart still trying to escape.

---

"This will feel a bit weird but don't freak out okay?"

Louis nodded, not revealing any of his reluctance. His gaze tracing the orange and black jumpsuit Zak wore to avoid eye contact. They sat across from each other in the Saturdays' training room. Their airship ridiculously huge for people with supposedly no budget.

Zak's eyes glowed with an orange light.

Louis' eyes mirrored his.

Curiosity, gentleness, exhaustion and residual annoyance at Hotrod flooded his mind.

As Louis felt Zak's mind so too did he.

Fear, shame, excitement and wariness flowed from Louis.

They could see each other so clearly-

The glow abruptly ceased and the overhead lights turned off. The faint hum of the airship engines stopped so they were floating without guidance. Even Skeets fell, Booster barely catching him.

That shook Louis out of his instinctive shield and the lights flickered back on. Engines whining as they started back up again. Skeets wobbling into the air.

"...Sorry," Louis' shoulders hunched.

Zak shook his head. "No, you're okay. I should've explained better. I don't usually use my powers on metahumans."

"It was... weird. Like you could see through my eyes."

"That's pretty accurate."

"Could you do that to any metahuman?"

"I haven't tried entering anyone's mind since the War of the Cryptids," Zak got a far off look in his eye before refocusing. "Okay, let's go slower this time."

At his nods Zak's eyes glowed like twin flames.

Louis' burned with Zak's power. Felt him at the edges of his mind. Whispering. He was hungry wasn't he? If he did a handstand Zak would call off training for lunch. Maybe add in a cartwheel. Louis shifted position, moving to stand.

Well, that wasn't mind control that was just... Oh. So that's how Zak's power worked. It was subtler than the Dark Present. Louis settled back down.

Zak smiled and the whispers changed. It was pretty cool what he did just now. Turning off an entire airship. If he did it again Booster Gold would be so impressed-

No he wouldn't, he'd be worried about Skeets.

Louis pushed against Zak's presence in his mind. His eyes no longer glowing orange even as Zak's were still lit. He could feel Zak trying to break through, eyes glowing brighter.

Zak's power was heavy. Ancient. It buffeted Louis like the current of a river... A river... Louis cast his mind back to the little training from Aunt Fei that stuck.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was a stone. His edges worn smooth from the rushing waters but he remained unmoved.

The pressure of Zak's presence eased. It was still there but Louis no longer felt the need to push against him. He was a stone and the power of Kur flowed around, not through him.

"You're a quick learner," Zak praised as his eyes stopped glowing.

Louis hunched his shoulders again. More from being unused to receiving compliments from adults than anything else.

"Are you sure you wanna keep hanging around this guy?" Zak thumbed over his shoulder toward Booster Gold.

Booster spluttered. "I can show him dinosaurs! Can you show him dinosaurs?"

Zak raised an amused eyebrow and gestured towards Zon who flew past the training room door at that moment.

"I can show him more dinosaurs! In the Triassic!"

Louis eyes sparkled. "Really?" Studying dinosaurs in their natural habitat would greatly increase their understanding of the ones brought back in zoos. Maybe even which ones could be reintroduced without negatively impacting the ecology!

Booster paled as he realized that he'd basically promised to take the Avatar of Destruction's youngest son to one of the most dangerous eras in history. Skeets was giving him the Look. Booster didn't know how he managed it without any form of facial expression but he was definitely getting the Look.

"Just a quick field trip!" His voice definitely wasn't squeaking. Superhero's voices didn't squeak! And Zak Saturday was giving him a smug smile that little-

Louis beamed. Hugo was going to be sooooo jealous.

... Well, it should be fine. They'd have Skeets with them after all.

---

"Gaaahhhh!"

"Michelangelo," Master Splinter chastised.

"Sorry, Master."

"Your butt fall asleep again?" Raph smirked.

"I told you not to neglect your glutes," Donnie chastised.

Leo said nothing, as he was still in his meditative trance.

They all sat criss cross on the floor of what was basically their living room. A thick carpet between them and the cold stone floor. Regardless, yes, Mikey's butt had grown numb.

"Boys, please. Even young Hugo here can meditate peacefully!"

Donnie waved his hand in front of Hugo's face. "Actually, Master, I think he's asleep."

Mikey snickered before Raph smacked the back of his head.

Master Splinter frowned as he gazed at Hugo. Yes, his chin was resting on his chest and his breathing was too slow and even to be awake. But his eyes moved behind his eyelids. And his amulet glowed with qi...

...Hugo was, technically, asleep. Meditation was always his weakest discipline. He remembered the first time Papa and Aunt Fei tried to teach him how to meditate. They gave up after his foot bouncing repeatedly smacked against the floor for several minutes.

Their next attempts went much better.

Instead of trying to empty his overactive mind Papa gave him several thought experiments to chase as far as they would go. That was fun until his mind brought back the stupid thing he said to one of his friends a year ago and he started spiraling into how they secretly hated him.

Not fun.

So they switched tactics again.

Told him to imagine his Inner Palace. A space within himself that was all his own. And fill it not so much with the things he wanted, but with the aspects he wanted in himself. It was like a lucid dream.

This was no dream.

The walls of his Inner Palace were too solid. His steps firm against the mosaic of the floor. When he placed a hand against the marble pillars it was cool to the touch. His palace was like Eclipse Manor and the Forbidden City merged into one. With Egyptian inspired wall murals because why not? Every "room" was it's own building connected by the massive courtyard.

"O... Kay," Hugo walked through his Garden of Peace that connected most of his Inner Palace. The pebbles within the pond arranged in the Blue Lanters' symbol of Hope. There was the House of Memories right where he put it next to the House of Power-

"Help!"

Hugo stopped. He should be the only person here. Yet that came from-

"Help us!"

His heartbeat sped up which was ridiculous because he didn't even have a physical body right now.

"Help us, please!"

Hugo ran into the House of Power. It's archway opening to a room with three lifesized statues. Batman, Wonder Woman and-

"It's been so long!"

Hugo approached Superman's statue. It wasn't the first Superman, the one that led the Justice League. It was the second one. Kon-El. The crest of the House of El glowed red on his chest.

He placed a hand on Superman's chest and fell through.

Noise.

Light.

Red light.

Shadows.

No cold.

No heat.

No up.

No down.

No past.

No future.

Only here.

Only now.

Forever.

"Find us!"

Hugo's eyes focused on the people floating before him in this void of red light and blackest shadow.

The woman held an arm protectively around the man's shoulders. Short, light hair in two tight braids against her head. Eyes warry. Even in this gravity-less space she had the bearing of a soldier.

The man reached out. Dark hair waving in the non-wind. Straining against the infinite void between them. Eyes hopeful. Pleading. The crest of a House of Krypton Hugo didn't recognize emblazoned on his shoulder.

"Find the projector!"

Hugo gasped as he fell back into his body. Arms flailing and stomach turning as gravity reasserted itself.

"Whoa! Easy kid!" Raphael caught him before he fell back. Grabbing his arms, gently but firmly. "Don't hurt yourself."

Hugo blinked as his breath came in short pants. Chest heaving, air filling his lungs. Cold against his skin. Hugo grabbed onto Raphael like a lifeline. Smooth scales reflecting his own body heat back at him. Warmth.

His breathing slowed. Master Splinter and the other three Turtles looked down at him in concern.

"I... I have to get to Metropolis."

---

Felix smiled as Edwin Alva Jr rose to his feet.

"What the hell is this?" He demanded, gesturing to the holographic screens. Meaning the files that Felix had sent to every board member of Alva Industries.

"What's the matter, Junior?" Felix smirked. "Never been on the other side of a merger before?" He had to resist the urge to call it a 'hostile takeover'.

Edwin Jr's face turned red as he glared daggers at Felix. "God damn dreg! I've been running this company since I was twenty!"

"Cute. I've been running mine since I was sixteen."

"You think we'll allow this!? Let some supervillain who had to flee his own country just barge in here acting like he runs the place?"

"Well, you'd know all about supervillains wouldn't you, Junior." Felix really shouldn't twist the knife but the way Edwin Jr shook impotently with rage made Felix all warm and fuzzy inside.

Before Edwin Jr could say something else one of his board members pulled him down and started stage whispering furiously. Shame, Felix could've played with his food a little longer. But the way Edwin Jr paled at his board member's words was almost as satisfying.

Edwin Alva Jr stood stiffly. "Alva Industries..." he swallowed hard, "...recognizes Felix Graham de Vanily as the majority shareholder by... by over seventy percent.

Felix's grin widened, showing perfect teeth.

"Therefore... I must resign. Effective immediately."

A muttering of protests erupted at that. Edwin Alva Jr wasn't his father. Wasn't as ruthless as the man responsible for the Big Bang. Not as willing to cut corners for profit. But he'd kept Alva Industries afloat and in the black even as megacorporations monopolized around them. They were one of the few companies left that took care of Dakota and in turn Dakota took care of them.

Junior went on for a bit about how grateful he was to them and blah, blah, blah! Felix stopped paying attention. He could've cut it short but Junior just lost control of his father's company. Felix could afford to be magnanimous.

"...as for you, Fathom. I hope you rot in Hell."

Felix's smile became just a bit forced. "It's Graham de Vanily."

"Oh yeah, like they're any better." Edwin Alva Jr left with his head held high.

"... Well!" Felix clapped his hands together. "Now that he's gone we can talk business. Sit down."

"I will not be a part of whatever it is you're planning Mr Graham de Vanily," the board member put as much derision into his voice as he could muster. "I was there when Mr Alva saved this company from Wayne-Powers. If he's gone, I'm gone."

"You're loyalty is admirable," Felix said, secretly thinking that it was bloody pathetic. "But as chairman how much growth has Junior... Mr Alva, provided this company?"

"We outperformed LexCorp in gross earnings last quarter!" Another board member piped up.

"Yes, impressive if you're satisfied with the bare minimum." Felix sat at the head of the table. The leather chair was in the shape of Junior's ass but then he only had to sit in it long enough to keep these bloody sharks' attention.

And boy did they deliver. Staring at him like he'd tossed a juicy carcass into the water.

"I am willing to give a thirty percent raise to all board members who stay."

They sat up straighter. Even the hostile looking ones became less warry.

"There will be changes, of course." Felix grabbed the papers Junior left on the table. "But nothing you can't handle."

"We have a responsibility to our clients..." One said half-heartedly.

"Gentlemen! This is a business, isn't it?" Felix spread his arms to encompass the board. "Isn't it time you got your money's worth?"

...As the last board member filed out Felix let his smile morph into a sneer. Greedy fools, all except the first one that spoke up. He did end up following Junior out. But the others were more receptive. It was like Father always said: if you can't solve it with money then you aren't using enough of it.

Felix smirked as he scanned the files he asked for. All of Alva Industries research on Quantum Gas in the palm of his hand. Felix took out a crystal drive to download all the relevant data and-

His fingers shook. The chip fell from his hands as they seized. A vice squeezing his chest. "What- What the fuck?"

"I bind you, Felix Graham de Vanily."

Felix jumped to his feet, chair catching on the carpet and toppling over.

"I bind you from harming others."

Felix grabbed his hand. "Stop shaking, damn you!"

"I bind you from harming Gregor."

"Shut up!" Felix roared.

"I bind you from harming my brothers."

"Stupid bitch!"

"I bind you from harming my Maman."

Felix scrambled through his pockets with one hand.

"I bind you from harming my Papa."

"Aha!" Felix pulled out an amulet on a string cord. Beads of red and pink ending in a small, round charm. Colored blue with purple dots.

"I bind you from harming me."

"Lady of Creation, I bid your protection from this spell!"

"I bind you."

"By this token of your favor-"

"I bind you, Felix Graham de Vanily."

"-aid me!"

A shield of blue and purple light erupted from the charm in Felix's hands and in a flash it shattered.

Felix was flung backwards as the magicks clashed. The computer in the boardroom was fried. The charm Marinette gave him on his birthday nothing but motes of light.

"... Haha! Not this time, witch!"

---

Emma hugged herself as she stared at the failed binding spell burn with blue flame.

She wrote what she wanted Felix to stop doing on the back of his photo. And wrapped the photo in black string. Repeating the words as she went. Voice reverberating across time and space.

I bind you...

I bind you...

I bind you...

Every time pulling the string tighter.

She felt arms around her shoulders and looked up to see Izel. Her presence easing some of the tension in her chest.

'... Why didn't it work?' the question was directed at her mentor but she cast the question to both of them. Not wanting to exclude Izel.

Morgana knelt beside them golden mask reflecting Emma's face. 'Men of power have never been easy to bind. Always slipping through loopholes and gathering protection around themselves.'

'He must've paid through the roof to get wards this powerful,' Izel commented, gazing at the ashes of Emma's spell. Usually a failed binding spell just... failed. It didn't send feedback across dimensions.

Her eyes flicked to Emma. Then again a binding spell didn't usually make your voice echo like that.

Emma swallowed and stood up. Hand on Izel's arm so she knew not to let go just yet. The spell left her drained but...

'If the binding spell didn't work it just means I need to find something that will!' Emma set her jaw and squared her shoulders.

Izel grinned.

Morgana dusted off her dress as she stood. 'Commendable, but I could just...' she made a slicing motion with her hand. A branch at neck level fell from a nearby tree somewhere behind her.

"Oh." Okay, admittedly Emma had wondered once why Papa chose Morgan/Morgana as her mentor... Twice. She was very... Sporadic in her teaching methods, you could call it. But Morgana offering to off someone for her made Emma feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

... That was probably fine.

"I really appreciate that. It's very tempting. Very, very tempting..." Would Morgana turn him to stone? No, that was way too easy to undo. Drain his lifeforce maybe? She hasn't done that in years. Izel elbowed her. "But! Let's try and hold off on that for now. We'll circle back to it."

Morgana shrugged. "If you want him to suffer through the rest of his life I'm not opposed. So long as he is punished for attacking the next link in the chain."

Okay, Emma really wanted to ask what that meant but she was leaning on Izel more than she meant to and her vision was blurry. "I'm tired."

"No shit!" Izel exclaimed, tone equal parts relief and admonition. "You cast a spell like that and don't even anchor yourself first? What have you been teaching her?"

This last accusation she aimed at Morgana. Apparently not starstruck enough to let her best friend's health slide.

"I did teach her how to pull from the earth so she doesn't burn herself out," Morgana said reasonably. "She must've forgotten."

Izel paused. "Emma?"

Emma covered her burning face with a hand. "Nobody look at me. I'm new at this."

"Tonta! No vuelvas hacer eso..."

Emma was pretty sure she imagined Morgana laughing. It was hard to tell through the mask and Izel's comforting rebukes in her ear.

---

An old man sat in a cafe, taking shelter from the rain. London traffic crawling past his window.

The old man had long, white hair that reached his shoulders and a beard that went down his chest. Clothes worn from hiking and a red beanie on his head. A much used backpack on the seat beside him to discourage company. A long wooden staff resting against his chair. Eyes carrying the weight of ages but no less sharp for it.

Steam curled up from his tea. Swirling into the face of a girl. Younger than he was when started down this road. The next link in the chain. As quickly as the vision came it vanished.

"Did you feel that?" asked the younger man across from him. His clothes were older yet less worn. A red scarf around his neck. Short black hair laying where it will. With the same sharp grey eyes as the old man. The same wooden staff leaning against his chair.

"Of course I felt it!" the old man grumbled, crabby at having his tea interrupted.

"We'll have to do something about her," the younger man said, ignoring his companion's tone. "Which means we'll have to break it to the boy."

"You are a fount of wisdom as always."

"I know. You never seem to appreciate it though."

The old man muttered something uncomplimentary and downed the rest of his scalding tea. He stood, grabbed his backpack and staff, and left a tip on the table.

"Leaving already?" the waitress asked. "It's still pouring out there."

"Thoughtful as always, Bette," the old man smiled at her with none of the sarcasm he directed at the younger man. "But I've got to see an old friend about a funeral."

"Yeah, her own!" The younger man quipped.

"Quiet you," the old man snapped. Adjusting his beanie he spoke a few words under his breath and stepped out into the London rain.

"Crazy old man," one of the other patrons muttered.

"Any of you gents have a problem with Merl you can follow him out," Bette stated without bothering to look at who'd spoken.

The other patrons said nothing.

"That's what I thought."

In the rain the two men walked briskly towards the nearest Tube entrance. But only one left ripples where he stepped.

Chapter 27: Control Yourself, Take Only What You Need From It

Summary:

The future unwritten...?

"-and that's why I'm the reincarnation of Kur," Zak finished.

Louis paused for a moment. Letting it sink in. "So part of your soul isn't human?"

Zak's expression told him he'd said the wrong thing again. This is why Louis usually kept his mouth shut. It stopped him from inserting his foot.

Thankfully, Zak recovered quickly. "I mean, I haven't checked?" His eyes went far away as he considered it. "Although... That would explain a lot."

Louis didn't say anything as Zak's mind wandered. Probably to the snake people who tried to turn Zak against humanity... What was it with humans and snakes?

"Nope! Never mind. Don't wanna know." Zak made an X motion with his arms and shook his head.

"Oudan urt ta know," Fiskerton said.

"It absolutely could!" Zak countered. "And anyway I'm not interested!"

Which Louis was fairly sure meant he wasn't going to stop thinking about it for days... Oops. Quick, distract him! "Why don't the Secret Scientists help the de-extinction initiatives?" Brain, you single-minded fool!

Zak blinked as he was brought out of his spiraling thoughts. He looked at Louis before remembering himself and looked at Louis' hands instead. Which fidgeted under his gaze.

"They're not... what we're trying to protect," Zak said slowly, thinking out his answer. "We're trying to prevent our own extinction event. Not undo past ones."

Louis frowned. "Isn't Zon from one of the resurrected lines?"

But Zak was shaking his head. "Zon is one of the cryptids that sometimes makes their way to the surface from Skartaris. She may be a pterosaur but her species is 65 million years removed from any that were alive back then. They have a living ecosystem. The dinosaurs in your zoos... don't."

Louis was regretting bringing this up. His skin felt hot and his fingers clenched around each other. "I don't understand. What about the mastodons? They only lived a few thousand years ago!"

"But their ecosystem still died with them," Zak explained gently. "Nature didn't simply stand still for ten thousand years. It adapted to their absence. That's why their reintroduction to the wild has such isolated success. Wrangel Island is still the only place on Earth outside of Skartaris that sustains a stable population without human intervention."

"Those technologies also helped save the elephants and rhinos!" Louis pointed out, his voice was not rising. It was perfectly level, thank you!

"And we've funded those efforts," Zak agreed. "Maintaining the environments of regular animals ensures healthy cryptid populations. But that's exactly my point. We need to focus our efforts on preserving what's already here. Even with the rewilding efforts that have saved so many species we've only restored a fraction of our wildlife. The planetary ecosystem we have right now is worth saving just as much as any creature of the past."

"..." Louis wanted to argue. Wanted to tell Zak Saturday that he was wrong. That the de-extinction technologies weren't a wasted effort. A misallocation of resources. But... he couldn't.

Louis knew the Russian and Canadian governments used the mammoths as a publicity stunt. Knew that hardly any attention was given to the other ice age megafauna. Knew that megacities were still growing and not all of them implemented the same sustainability policies as Paris.

Knew that the buffalo of North America were still endangered despite their growing numbers. That the bleaching events nearly destroyed coral reefs as a viable ecosystem forever. Knew that rewilding farmlands in wealthy countries typically led to expanding them in poorer ones.

He knew that the techniques learned from resurrecting the Tyrannosaurus Rex could save practically all endangered species.

He just assumed they'd actually bother to do it.

"Louis?"

"Oh," was all Louis said as he lifted his hood.

Zak gave a pleading look to Fisk but the big cryptid just shook his head.

Louis didn't know how long he spaced out for but the next thing he knew they were already onboard the Time Sphere Booster Gold brought onto the Saturday's airship.

"Alright! Systems green, coordinates locked in, emergency beacon set. We are go to take off," Booster Gold grinned.

"You don't usually go through the whole safety protocol," Skeets observed.

Booster spluttered as his eyes darted to Louis in the copilot seat of the Time Sphere. A machine from a thousand years in the future roughly the size of a car but with room to stand. They could see Zak and Fisk waving through the reinforced windshield that wrapped all the way around the spherical device.

"I'm always safe!" Booster Gold said defensively.

"Statistically untrue!" Skeets replied helpfully. "In fact you have an eighty-seven percent-"

"Thank you, Skeets. Your observations are always so helpful."

"Of course!"

Booster shot the Kanté a look but accepted the win graciously. "Right!" he grinned at Louis, "Ready to see the Cretaceous?"

"Actually..." Louis rubbed one of the tassels of his hoody between his fingers. "Could we go to your time instead?"

Booster blinked. Sharing a confused look with Skeets. "I mean, yeah, we could. But I thought you wanted to see the dinosaurs in their prime?"

"... I'd like to see how things turn out for them first."

Booster's face scrunched in thought. "Oh. Oh!" He grinned. "One 25th century nature reserve coming right up!" And reset the coordinates.

---

"No."

"Papa-"

"You are not going to just walk into Superman's home turf and demand to use the Phantom Zone projector!"

"But they've been stuck in there for almost a century!" Hugo protested. Giving his best glare at his phone screen. The image from Chat Noir's multi use staff was shaky as he ran.

Seeing Papa's Don't You Take That Tone With Me look on Chat Noir's face was weird. But it did make arguing with him in uniform easier. God, it was still strange to think of Chat Noir as his Papa... Who was being such an ass about this.

His feelings must've been obvious because Papa's expression softened. Cat ears taking on a less sharp angle.

"Listen, I'll- No! Strike! We talked about this! No smashing! Just hold it still!" Chat Noir turned distractedly back to the camera. "We'll talk about this after I'm done here. Love you. Listen to Master Splinter!"

And then he was staring at a disconnected screen. Hugo let out a frustrated growl as he shook it. He knew the feeling that Papa was ignoring him on purpose wasn't rational but knowing it didn't stop him from feeling it.

Hugo took a breath and walked back into the common area.

"Soooo," Mikey drawled, "how'd it go?"

Hugo clenched a fist and channeled a burst of qi into it. Lashing out at a nearby punching bag. It moved with satisfying weight. "Ow!" And sent a burst of pain down his arm. He really needed to work on his qi reinforcing technique.

Leo whistled appreciatively at the sound of impact. "That bad, huh?"

"Told you the kid's old man wouldn't go for it," Raph said, catching Casey's punching bag so it wouldn't hit Hugo in the back. "Dude likes Superman too much. Personally, I've never seen the appeal."

There was a bang as Mikey fell and then scrambled back up. "Don't see- How's it- Whaddya- It's Superman!"

"Raph, don't bait Mikey," Donnie admonished as he massaged Hugo's hurt hand. "Or at least wait until I'm done."

"He's only the best superhero ever!"

Hugo winced as Donnie's fingers travelled over his bruised knuckles. The swelling and discoloration vanishing as Donnie's purple tinted qi accelerated his body's healing process.

"You know how many times he's single-handedly saved the world!?"

"There." Donnie let go and Hugo flexed his fingers. His hand was still sore but at least it was usable now. "You really need to work on focusing your anger."

Hugo's shoulders sagged. "I know..." He was very aware of the weight of the amulet Master Splinter gave him against his chest. Channeling qi was so easy with it. If he didn't let his emotions get the best of him.

"Lots of times!"

"Alright, Mikey," Leo laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Raph's just yanking your chain." Leo shot a look at the last place Raph was standing. Which was still pretty effective even without his sight. "Isn't that right, Raph?"

"Pfft, whatever."

"Anyway," Donnie interrupted before they could get into another 'discussion' about Mikey's cape wearing teammates/coworkers/friends. "Hugo could use a few more sessions with you Raph."

"What? Because I'm the 'angry one' I get all the angry humans?" Raph demanded.

The other three Turtles looked at each other, well Leo cocked his head more than anything, then turned back to Raph. "Yes," they said in unison.

Hugo covered his mouth to muffle a snort of laughter.

"Wise guys," Raph muttered. "Laugh it up now kid, cause I won't go as easy as Leo over here."

Hugo winced preemptively. There was nothing easy about training with Leonardo. He consoled himself by thinking about how jealous Emma would be once she learned he trained with several Masters. But... "What about the Phantom Zone?"

The Turtles exchanged another look.

"What did your father say?" Master Splinter asked as he emerged from one of the side passages.

"Maybe! ...No," Hugo admitted at Master Splinter's raised eyebrow.

"Turtle Titan could contact the Justice League from Justice Force headquarters," Mikey rubbed his chin as he thought aloud. "He might listen more to another superhero."

Hugo perked up. "You can do that? That would be great!"

But Master Splinter was shaking his head. "Adrien has already decided he does not want you to take this risk," Master Splinter addressed Hugo directly. "There will be no bringing the Justice Force into it unless he deems otherwise. Do you all understand?"

Hugo bit the inside of his cheek. "... Yes, Master. I won't bring the Justice Force into it."

---

Emma sighed contentedly at the forgiving Parisian sun. It was nowhere near as sweltering as the Sea of Beru. Looks like she applied double layer deodorant for nothing.

They were on the roof of an arcology. Despite the aerodynamic shape and environmentally friendly systems it was basically just a big building with a garden on its roof. Half of them greenhouses. Not the ridiculously huge (and impractical) megaprojects of China and America.

These ones actually worked.

Okay, the indoor mall on the first three levels was unnecessarily extravagant but that's why it could be called an 'arcology' at all. Most of the people lived and worked in the same building. Cutting down on the load to public transit. There was even a daycare.

Emma stood to stretch and had to hold onto her chair as she got lightheaded for a moment. 'M'fine,' she said preemptively. Speaking telepathically as though she'd been doing it all her life.

'Eso te pasa por no anclarte antes de tratar un hechico tan lejos, tonta,' Izel admonished, still miffed at Emma's botched spell. Or rather at Emma not taking the proper precautions.

'Thanks, Maman,' Emma rolled her eyes.

Izel stuck her tongue out a her before turning her attention back to the garden itself. She whistled appreciatively. 'Damn, this place looks good for something so manicured.'

'It's a community garden.'

'Y'know what I mean.'

She did. There was magic up here even though the garden was one of the most carefully monitored nurseries this side of a vertical farm. There were no trees, their roots too dangerous to the careful equilibrium of the arcology, but the greenhouses provided scaffolds for vines and hanging plants. Mimicking the canopy of a glade.

'Is that why you brought us here?' Emma asked Morgan.

The sorceress gazed down from a nearby railing onto Paris itself. Boats cruising down the Seine. Green spaces practically encroaching onto the roads. Some areas completely blocked off to traffic. Even the occasional hovercraft.

Paris was a city in transition. Between what it was and what it could be. A throne of blood or a utopian ideal. A rich history carved in stone or a sterile future paved in steel.

Morgan turned to her student. 'You have a strong connection to your home.'

It wasn't a question but Emma nodded all the same.

'Magic we have a personal connection to comes more easily. Lends more of its power to our craft. You did not feel a connection to the Seven Seas, did you?'

Emma blinked. 'I... No. I guess not. It felt strange drawing from Beru. Like there was a barrier between me and it.'

Morgan nodded. 'Reach for the magic of Paris. Anchor yourself to the earth of your birth. Let it's waters flow through your veins and its sky fill your lungs.'

Emma closed her eyes and reached for Paris.

---

Unidentified Space Vessel, "Query: permission to board?"

O'Neill Cylinder Cretaceous Park, "Query: purpose of visit?"

USV, "Response: educational field trip."

OCCP, "Query: school?"

USV, "Response: private. High percentile student."

OCCP, "Clarification: Unidentified Space Vessel redesignated Private School Babysitter."

PSB, "Comment: Haha (sarcasm)."

OCCP, "Response: Welcome to Cretaceous Park (smug)."

"Space stations all think they're comedians," Skeets muttered, as the Time Sphere's displays showed the angle of approach to the O'Neill Cylinder.

It's cloaking device making them seem like a contemporary small shuttle to the scanners.

"C'mon Skeets," Booster grinned. "Didn't you miss your big brothers?"

"My Kanté lineage intersects only briefly with space station supercomputers," Skeets informed him, primly.

Booster Gold just smirked. "How you doing Louis?"

Louis' eyes bugged out of his head in an attempt to take in the shear scale of what he was seeing. It was five, maybe six, times bigger than the supertall skyscrapers of Shanghai. And that was just the width! It was ten times that long. A massive metal cylinder turning in space. The ends of the tube capped in half-spheres. Half its great frame cast in its own deep shadow. The O'Neill Cylinder was more like an island in space than something made by humans.

It loomed large as the Time Sphere sped towards the entrance. Louis' mouth may have hung open as they passed under it's shadow.

Other ships the size of freighters came and went from the docking bay. His skin tingled as they passed an invisible forcefield. To keep the air in he realized. They flew through a short tunnel before emerging into artificial sunlight.

The first thing Louis saw were the forests and rivers all around them. He had the disorienting feeling of having emerged from the ground. And were those... They were! Clouds! Clouds moving with the spin of the station.

His eyes followed the clouds to the "horizon" which curved upwards like the slopes of mountains in the distance. Forests and plains blurring with the blue tint of atmosphere. Never quite fading from sight even as they rose up, up up. The impossible landscape curving over Louis. Straining his neck until his eyes reached a large lake sparkling in the sunlight directly above him.

The entire landmass illuminated by an artificial sun hanging between the cloud layers in the center of the cylinder. Or rather, Louis squinted, not hanging. A thin, relatively speaking, pole stretched from end to end of the O'Neill Cylinder and that's what held up the sun.

"Whoa," was all Louis could say.

Booster Gold grinned. "Welcome to the 25th century. We are currently in one of the thousands of O'Neill Cylinders orbiting Earth. Specifically Cretaceous Park of the Terrestrial Preservation Society. Over a thousand square kilometers dedicated solely to preserving life from the Cretaceous Period."

Pterodactyls flew across the sky in large V formations like birds. Several million years of divergent evolution and there was still no beating physics. Their shadows passed over a herd of Pachycephalosaurus. Two males butting heads in a mating display. A Tyrannosaurus Rex drank from a nearby lake, ignoring the smaller dinosaurs.

The Time Sphere hovered invisibly just above the tree line. Skeets checking the scanners while Booster narrated.

Louis was too distracted by the world outside the time machine to respond. They were really here! In the future! With dinosaurs!

Sure he'd seen dinosaurs before but those were kept in zoos. These were wild.

Untamed.

Free.

Louis blinked rapidly to get the moisture out of his eyes. "Can we go down?"

Booster's face went through several expressions in rapid succession. Settling on the one Louis thought of as the 'If Anything Happens to Him Chat Noir Will Kill Me' expression. "Iiiiiii- really rather we didn't."

"Awww..." Louis didn't press it even though he wanted to see what kind of plants and insects the future had managed to reconstruct.

Not wanting to disappoint his charge Booster activated the Time Sphere's cloaking and went down. Avoiding the headbutting males Booster took them to the edge of the herd. Where the older Pachycephalosaurus grazed on prehistoric ferns.

They were so close Louis could've touched their scraggly scales. His hand reached out and pressed flat against the hard light window of the Sphere.

Booster grinned as he took them up again.

They watched Iguanodon herds raising their young and Spinosaurus stalking the edges of the jungles. Pterosaur flocks followed them part of the way as they traveled the circumference of the cylinder.

The engineering of this tiny world was almost as impressive as the animals themselves. Machines under the water and above the cloud layer worked in tandem to provide rain. The sun dimmed as it traveled along the pole towards the "western" end of the cylinder. Louis marveled again at the engineering of such a structure. One with its very own night cycle. The setting sun painting the blues and greens of the O'Neill Cylinder with oranges and purples.

It was everything Louis dreamed it would be. And yet...

"So we use O'Neill Cylinders for the de-extinct ecosystems to make more room for extant species on Earth?"

Booster shared a look with Skeets. "Uh, sure. Some of them. There's not really any surviving ecosystems that could support them anymore."

"... Surviving?"

Booster winced. "Ah, see, the thing is... The 21st century sort of... Didn't leave much of the ecosphere intact."

A chill ran across Louis' skin. The Time Sphere's displays flickering. "But... our de-extinction technologies..."

Booster Gold wasn't looking at him and it wasn't because Louis didn't like being looked at. "Yeah, those helped. And the rewilding initiatives mitigated most of the worst of climate change. But once the people in power realized they could just store species and bring them back later they, sorta, decided to do that. Instead of protecting their current ecosystems."

The chill on his skin crawled like claws. "They... let the planet die?"

"Not all of it!" Booster reassured him. "Earth may not support as many extant ecosystems as it did in your time but we have plenty of O'Neill Cylinders until it heals! There's ones for coral reefs and deserts. We even have ten just for the Amazon rainforest-"

The Time Sphere jerked as it lost power to the antigravity engines.

"Oh, shit!" Booster Gold shot a surge of power into it from his suit and it righted itself.

The two of them jerked in their seats. Skeets, who had restarted along with the craft, shot up. "We should land!"

Booster nodded vigorously and they dropped. This time the ship dampening the inertia of their decent.

Louis practically sprang out of the ship. Pacing on the low lying ferns of the clearing.

Ten!? Fucking ten!? That's nowhere near good enough! Louis' heart pounded in his chest and his throat burned.

Booster Gold chased after him with Skeets beside him. Not using his flight suit in case Louis flared up again. "Louis!" He called.

"Do you know how many of these monstrosities we'd need to equal the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest!?" Louis raised his arms to encompass the O'Neill Cylinder. "Sixty-seven thousand!"

Oh, Booster you really stepped in it now. "We're building more!"

"Skeets! How many O'Neill Cylinders are there in this time period?"

"Four thousand six hundred eighty-eight," Skeets replied automatically before Booster could tell him not to.

"And how many are overseen by the Terrestrial Preservation Society?"

Booster glared at Skeets and shook his head.

"... Half," Skeets admitted.

"Damnit, Skeets!" Booster stage whispered.

"So not sixty-seven thousand." Louis hated that walking on the inverted ground of the cylinder felt no different from walking on Earth. That the wind ruffled his hair and the dimming sun still warmed the land enough to make him sweat. That the soil was dark and rich under his feet and smelled of undergrowth where he stepped.

Lies! It was all lies!

"Even if we had enough none of them would be big enough to contain an entire ocean! Cetaceans need millions of continuous square kilometers! And this" -he kicked at a particularly large fern- "-stupid thing! Isn't big enough!"

Tears stung his eyes and he pressed his palms into them. "... I'm such an idiot."

Booster caught up to him next to the innocent fern. It's main stem bent at an awkward angle. "... What's really bothering you, Louis?"

Louis ran his hands forcefully into his hair like he was trying to pull it out. Staring at the poor plant.

He started haltingly, breaths coming in pants. "I... I wanted to go back. To before my parents... Y'know. When they were together. I thought... Because I was happy, they must be happy too... But they weren't. Not really. They were just pretending." Louis forced his body to be still as it cried out for movement. "I wanted to go back so badly I..." Forced my entire city to be happy, he didn't say.

... Michael sighed, walking up to Louis so he was standing beside him. The false sunset painting the curved sky. "Y'know... I wanted to escape my old life so much I stole a time machine."

"Ahem."

"And sorta kidnapped Skeets."

Despite himself Louis' lips twitched wanly at that.

"When I got to your time I wanted everything I lost in my own. Everything I thought I deserved. Fame, fortune, the whole nine yards. But we can't escape ourselves. I needed to get my head out of my ass about what I really wanted before I could actually be happy."

Louis lowered his hands from his head. Arms wrapping around himself instead and tapping on himself with his fingers.

"I know that's not really the same thing as what you're going through. What I mean to say is that it's natural to want things to stay the same. To idolize the past or some perfect future. But if we do that we blind ourselves to what we can change. To what we should change..."

Louis said nothing.

"The 25th century isn't perfect. God, just look at me! But... you can change it."

Louis raised his head. Eyes glancing at the thoughtful expression on Booster's face. "What do you mean?"

"Time isn't as fragile as your Bunnyx believes. There's a certain leeway in changing your present before it becomes a different future altogether."

"Maybe that's a good thing," Louis thought aloud. "Changing the future."

Booster laughed. "Maybe. But then you'd have to deal with the Timesters and that's a whole thing."

Louis stared out at the superstructure as night fell. Trees taller than anything Louis had ever seen reaching up to the false moon. The night sounds of a jungle as alien as any extraterrestrial forest rising from its shadow. The landscape above hidden behind the clouds so it was almost like Louis was on another planet.

He did think the O'Neill Cylinders were worthwhile. Eventually. That was the whole point of going into space. To stop taking from the Earth without giving anything back. To preserve life in case the unthinkable happened.

Louis clenched and unclenched his fists.

Of course the capitalist systems that governed his present would hijack technology meant to save them. They always did.

No. Not this time.

Even if he had to force History onto a path it was never meant to go.

"I need to go home."

---

Hugo waited until everyone else was asleep.

Then he snuck past Leo, who was still training, and into the hanger bay. Carefully, quietly, Hugo got onto the Shell Copter. He kneeled under the display panels and pulled out his Nigerian multitool. Just had to hotwire this bad boy and-

"Where do you think you're going?"

Hugo muffled a cry of pain as his head hit the underside of the flight controls. Ahhh, he really needed to work on his qi armoring.

Behind him Michelangelo stood with his arms crossed.

"Nowhere!" Hugo lied badly, rubbing the back of his head where he'd struck the damn thing.

"Dude!" Michelangelo shook his head in disappointment. "I can't believe you were going to sneak off to Metropolis and you didn't invite me!" His mouth morphed into a grin.

Hugo's eyes widened then he returned the grin. He gestured at the flight controls. "You know how to turn this thing on?"

"Step back, young Padawan!" Mickey stretched out his fingers, cracking the knuckles. "Let me show you how a master does it!"

"Oh no you don't!"

"Gah!" They cried out. Not at all squealy or high pitched.

At the entrance stood Donatello, Leonardo and Raphael.

Donnie walked past them and sat in the pilot's chair. Starting the pre-flight sequence. "You still have your piloting privileges revoked."

"Yeah, Mikey," Leo said. "Remember what happened last time?"

"I said I was sorry!"

Hugo looked between the four brothers as they all buckled in. "You're all coming? You're not going to try and stop me?"

Leo shrugged. "Not the first time we've snuck out of the lair."

"Besides, if we didn't you'd probably do something stupid," Raph added. "Like sneaking into the Justice League's Earth side headquarters by yourself."

Hugo felt himself blush all the way to his ears.

"You'd know all about that wouldn't you, Raph?" Mikey gave him a knowing smirk.

"Mikey," Leo scolded. "Raph hasn't jumped in without thinking for at least a month now."

"A month? Must be a new record," Donnie chimed in without taking his eyes off the controls.The helipad rising up from its hidden entrance beneath the Central Park Reservoir. Water rushing past them in a circular waterfall.

Hugo pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. He really wasn't in a position to make fun of other people's rash decisions.

Raph gave them a withering look. "I hate all of you."

They did laugh at that as they took off into the night sky. Next stop: Metropolis.

---

'Am I boring you?' Emma asked.

After hours of connecting to the Earth and Paris specifically Emma could anchor herself almost instinctively. Easily connect with the Earth and its energy. Could channel it and dispers it at will.

Izel taught her how to call on the spirit of a thing in a more Mexican style. The magic worked differently. But Emma could feel herself drawn to certain spirits at the edges of her awareness.

She even practiced merging her energy with Izel for a simple prosperity working. Emma felt herself calm as their joint spell drew positive energy towards them.

It was unclear if that was psychological or not but Emma wasn't complaining.

'No,' Morgan replied distantly. Her focus drifted as Emma grew more proficient with the basics and the sun began to set.

Paris was still too full of light pollution to see the stars but Morgan looked up like she could see the constellations past the haze.

'The stars are in alignment,' Morgan explained. 'It is too soon for such a journey but we cannot wait for the next time they beckon us.'

Izel perked up. 'Field trip?'

'I am sorry, bruja,' Morgan said, infusing the word with the same intonation as "sister". 'The road can only be traveled by those in the role of Mentor and Apprentice. And you do not have anything to learn from me.'

'Typical,' Izel muttered. 'Fine, fine!'

'Wait. Where are we going?' Emma asked.

'We will walk the Path of the Sun Gods to cross the void,' Morgan said, raising her hands to the hazy sky. As her arms moved the light parted, revealing the countless stars of the Milky Way beyond their atmosphere.

Emma's eyes widened as the starscape grew to encompass the sky. Paris falling away as the Void welcomed them.

'Until we stand under that most famous of Red Suns.'

---

Booster Gold typed in the coordinates.

The Time Sphere gave back an error message.

"It's not supposed to do that," Skeets observed.

"Oh, you think?" Booster snipped. "I thought you checked the computer?"

"I did," Skeets agreed, in that distracted tone of voice that meant he was double checking the math. "Everything should be functioning properly."

As they discussed what to do about the computer's refusal to lock into their desired time period Louis sent his awareness out. Usually he didn't even need to focus just think about what he wanted happen and it did.

But this was more complicated than turning machines off and on again.

Louis felt the thrum of electricity in the O'Neill Cylinder far below the layer of earth. The enormous potential of the artificial sun that also played the role of the moon during the night cycle. But even the power of an entire space station was dim against the glow of the Time Sphere. So bright it could punch a hole through time. And...

"Um, was that there before?" Louis pointed behind them to a faintly glowing rectangle, the size of a deck of cards attached to the back of the Time Sphere.

The Mother Box that Louis saw in Blue Beetle's armory wasn't inert anymore. It's circular sensor glowed brighter as though realizing they'd noticed it. The lines of its divine circuitry powering up. The blue holographic displays of the Time Sphere glitching into the same white light coming from the Mother Box.

"... Well shit," Booster said.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Louis asked.

"Nope! Skeets can you talk to it?" Booster asked as the Time Sphere's temporal coordinates started going up. Shooting past the 25th century.

"Huh, when did you say you found this Mother Box?" Skeets asked.

Booster ran his hands frantically over the controls but they weren't responding. Not even the door locks. "31st century. Why?"

The Mother Box glowed so brightly Louis had to shield his eyes. Divine circuitry spread from it across the Time Sphere's surface.

"Because I believe it's taking us 'home'," Skeets replied.

Booster's eye gear tinted in response to the light. "Oh. That doesn't sound so-"

BOOM!

"-baaaaaaad!"

Cretaceous Park disappeared as Mother Box pulled the Time Sphere into the temporal Boom Tube. It's three passengers dragged back into the time stream along with it.

---

"What is that?" Bunnyx asked her older self. Pointing at one of the windows in their Burrow.

It showed the Sahara stretching past it's boarders into the south. Then it flickered and shifted before settling down. Green stretched across once arid land.  Plant life concentrated on half moon pools of water.

Another window showed a great chasm. A strip mine carved like a scar across the land. It flickered and shrank. Sand and stone returning. Giving shelter to the many animals of the desert.

A city rose into a hazy, starless sky. Hovercraft on seven levels of skyway drowning out any other noise. With each flicker a skylane vanished until there were no more. Trees grew between the buildings on car-less roads. Trains zooming past buildings that did not reach so highly into the sky. Yet their light allowed the stars to shine.

Older Bunnyx frowned. "That's not supposed to happen. The climate disaster made such projects unviable."

The glitch spread to the windows around them as well. Then the ones around those. The wave rippling into the timeline like a stone on still waters.

Older Bunnyx clutched her head as her memories shifted. Sliding out of phase with what she should remember.

A cold dread seized her spine. Only once had a change out of time caught her so unaware. Piercing blue eyes stared at her from bleached white skin.

Her fists clenched.

No. Not this time. Not any time.

Her job was to make sure History took the path it was always destined to take.

Any deviation from that one true History-

A white wall stretched out.

Burning away people.

Planets.

Galaxies.

Leaving nothing behind.

-was Unacceptable.

Chapter 28: I'm Your Future Past and Present, I'm the Fine Line

Summary:

... I am not really here. I'm an Intrusion.

Emma stared up at a red sun in a red-orange sky. The alien colors brightening to yellow as the firmament neared the mountainous horizon.

'Keep up!' Morgana called as she walked down the mountain slope.

The desire to not be left alone under an alien sky kicked Emma into a run. 'Where are we?'

'The Valley of Juru on the continent of Lurvan, southern hemisphere of the planet Krypton, orbiting the sun Rao.'

Emma stopped dead in her tracks as she stared after Morgana, who kept going. "... What the actual fuck?" she exclaimed aloud, hurrying to catch up.

Morgana laughed.

'How can we breath?'

'That's a myth. The air might be less oxygen rich but Krypton's atmosphere is perfectly breathable.'

Now that Morgana mentioned it Emma was a bit lightheaded. Her body heavy under the greater gravity of this dense world... Which was exactly what you wanted scurrying past the edge of a cliff. Sure it was a short cliff but her bones wouldn't refuse to break over a little thing like that.

'Why are we on Krypton? How are we on Krypton? Isn't it supposed to be a cloud of highly radioactive space debris?'

'Well it's still highly radioactive,' Morgana pointed out.

Even with Krypton's multiple magnetospheres and dense atmosphere the periodic solar flares of the red dwarf star left the planet's surface with a higher background radiation than Earth standard.

Emma remembered all this from school and was not in the least reassured. 'Oh, great!'

'Relax, Emma. We are only here as observers.'

'The pebble in my shoe says otherwise.'

'Yes, you are very present aren't you?' Morgana gave her that knowing look again. 'Try distancing yourself for a moment.'

Emma closed her eyes and for a disorienting second she was in two places at once. Back on the roof of a Parisian arcology and standing on the mountainside of a dead world. She shuddered then opened her eyes.

The pebble was gone and her body felt lighter but the ground was still solid under her feet. And she could smell the fields of alien crops on the wind. An earthy, familiar smell despite the cold wind and violet plants.

Juru was a large valley, it's distant edge invisible in the morning mist. The land around the central river was dedicated to agriculture while the mountain slopes were left forested. In the center of the valley was a city unlike any Kryptonian architecture Emma had ever seen.

School showed her great spires of shining metal and deep artificial chasms of living crystal. But the city of Juru was so old it was made of painted stone. Murals showing gods and myths not taught by the priests of Rao. It's pyramidal shapes weren't temples or tombs like they would be on Earth. A ziggurat may have storehouses at the base; homes and shops in the middle levels; and shrines, schools or public gardens at the top. Complete with running water. Bridges and canals giving the city a three dimensional feel.

As they came closer Emma saw why: the people of Juru were flying. Not with Kryptonian hovercrafts but under their own power.

'How?'

'Look closer.'

A girl roughly Emma's age stepped onto the ledge of one of the bridges. Her clothes had no House crest though they were as fine as any of the Great Houses Emma had seen in the history vids.

The girl clapped her hands together and held them as if in prayer. Then turned her left palm so the fingers pointed down while the right remained pointing up. She separated her hands and Emma covered her eyes as a sun bloomed in the space between them.

Then the light was gone and the girl was flying.

Emma felt goosebumps over her skin.

'These are the Wizards of Juru, Emma,' Morgan's thoughts were gentle. 'The last bastion of magic on Krypton at the end of the Seventh Age.'

'... The Seventh Age? But that means...' Emma looked closer at the city around her.

Cracks branched across the public murals. Some of the street lamps had broken bulbs. Children still played in the market but the smiles of the adults were strained. A group of wizards hunched over a tablet-like device and murmured at the ill news that came from beyond the valley.

'Yes,' Morgan confirmed. 'these are the last days of Krypton.'

The Temple of the Orb rose over the city at its very heart. So large it spanned over the great river that ran through the city. Emma felt the heat of the Wizards' power in the very stones under her feet. No cracks allowed here. Here the murals spoke of the very founding of the world and how the gods had blessed the first Wizards of Juru with their magic. Across the chaos of the Second Age and the ice age of the Fourth, Juru stood as a bastion of Kryptonian culture.

Then the colonizer Val-El came and the Great Houses of Kandor never allowed the Valley of Juru to lower their guard again.

Emma stopped.

A circle split in two caught her eye. A Nightwing and a Firebird circled each other in an endless dance. Neither seeking dominance over the other. Rays of red and black rained their blessings down upon the land, gifting Krypton with life.

The Firebird flared brighter. Flying faster. Overtaking his brother-self. The black lines ran red. Jungles were covered in towers of crystal. The Nightwing could not stretch his wings. With every turn of the cycle he was squeezed smaller and smaller and smaller until the Nightwing was but a dot amid the fires of Creation.

And then he burst free.

Wings spreading across the sky as cracks radiated from his splendor. Green ice flared across the land. The Nightwing's shadow devoured everything. Destruction unleashed in a single glorious moment of beauty and terror.

'Emma.'

Emma's head snapped towards the sound of Morgan's voice. She blinked and the golden glow of her irises faded back to a dark brown.

If Morgan noticed she gave no sign. 'Come. We must bear witness.'

Emma looked back at the mural. The Firebird and Nightwing circled each other in endless harmony...

Voices echoed from the central chamber as they emerged into a great atrium with a large fire burning in the middle. Elders sat close around the flame while families observed from the edges. Above them hovered the Orb of Juru. It's light flickering, dimming.

"We must retaliate!" An Elder Wizard demanded. "The Science Council has plundered the very core of our planet for too long!"

"It's too late for that now." another Elder replied. "You have seen the omens. Krypton will die."

"We should have stopped them before they began."

"We couldn't. Their 'Brainiac' monitors all travel across the surface of Krypton. Beyond the boarders of our valley our people are always watched."

"Typical 'Great' House hypocrisy. They don't want anyone traveling to the stars but they'll certainly take this alien Conglomerate's technology!"

"Such a violation goes against the treaty!"

"Ha! As though the Great Houses have ever honored a treaty with us! Kandor has never taken our magic seriously. In the minds of the Kandorans we are still nothing more than charlatans."

The wizards muttered at the disrespect the Science Council showed to a way of life older than their civilization.

"Can't Vathlo Island pressure Kandor to take drastic measures?"

A man stood from the middle benches. His black hair was shaved almost to the scalp instead of long strands reaching halfway down their back like everyone else. And his clothes didn't match any of the styles Emma saw in the city. In fact he looked more like what she would picture as a typical Kryptonian.

"The Science Council only listens to Brainiac now," the spy said. "Their ever present watcher has even suggested that Vathlo would benefit from a more... integrated relationship with the Science Council."

The chamber erupted into shocked indignation on behalf of the Vathlo people. Juru was isolated from the rest of Krypton as one of the last truly independent holdouts from the Science Council. It maintained such autonomy because of their geographic borders and powerful magic.

Vathlo on the other hand was "allowed" to manage their own affairs out of the respect the Science Council had for their technological achievements. To push Vathlo into becoming fully subservient to Kandor? The threat was clear.

No one had forgotten what the Science Council did to the Phaelosians.

A woman older than any other stood from the farthest row and silence fell across the chamber.

"Archmage Thul-Kar," a young wizard rose and offered his arm as she walked to the central fire.

The Archmage straightened with each step, voice rising with strength and clarity, "Our ancestors foresaw the short-sightedness of the Science Council." She clapped her hands and sparks flared up from the fire, taking the shape of constellations.

"In their pride they killed the moon god Wegthor rather than allow his five hundred million adoptive children to forge their own destiny out of the yoke of the Great Houses."

The smoke of the fire whirled and there were four celestial bodies. Krypton orbited by three moons.  A missile streaked from the surface of the planet and hit the largest of the moons. Burning cracks tearing Wegthor apart.

"Leaving his brother and sister moon scarred. Our own valley was nearly destroyed by Wegthor's remains."

Most of the shattered moon's debris was pulled into the gravity wells of the other two. Killing millions more that could not evacuate to the relative safety of Krypton. But that still left many megatons of rock in orbit. Some of which fell onto the planet. Cities toppled, forests burned, tsunamis erased entire archipelagos. Above Juru the Wizards of the previous age called upon the power of the Yellow Sun and blasted as many meteors as they could with heat vision. Breaking them up so they were small enough to burn on reentry.

"We survived thanks to our magic but the Wizards of that long ago time never again trusted the 'wisdom' of the Science Council."

Thul-Kar paused to let her words touch the hearts and minds of her listeners. The memory fading, the smoke once again just smoke. The Wizards before her chamber were the wisest and most powerful in all of Juru. They were her students and teachers. Her blood kin and craft kin. They knew what she would say before the words left her lips.

"We must use the Orb."

As one the Wizards of Juru looked up at their sacred Orb. A jewel carved from solid kryptonite. Forged in the very heart of Krypton and expelled from the volcano that was their lifeblood and would be their end. A sheen of magic contained its deadly energy. But even so to call the Yellow Sun in it's presence was forbidden.

A wizard rose from the other side of the chamber and clapped once, loudly. "Who will bend the ear of the unbending?" he chanted.

Another rose and repeated the question. "Who will bend the ear of the unbending?"

"Who will bend the ear of the unbending?" The entire chamber asked.

"Did they listen to the wind?" A woman asked.

Tornados fell upon the coastal cities. The Wind breaking free of her shackles just for a moment to scream her rage. Her cries silenced as the glitch in the global weather satellites was repaired.

"No!"

"Did they listen to the earth?" A man asked.

The very Land of Kandor himself rolled and swayed. Sending crystal towers that had stood tall and proud for three ages toppling to the ground. Cold green flames flared from the cracks in the ground before the kinetic energy of his writhing grief was siphoned and skin mended by the sciences of Brainiac.

"No!"

"Did they listen to the Nightwing?" Asked a child younger than Emma.

Entropy poured from the labs of the Science Guild. Again and again their attempts to halt Entropy merely drawing him to them. Like a rubber band that is pulled taut until it snaps. His touch rotting supersteel and decaying diamonds. Mushroom clouds of particulate kryptonite poisoning the very air.

"No!" 

"Will they listen to a man?"

The central fire flared and within the flames there stood a figure. The flames coalesced into broad shoulders and a square jaw.

"Yes!" 

"Will they listen to their son?"

The symbol of the House of El flared to life on his chest.

"Yes!" 

"Will they listen to Jor-El?"

The flames shot up and swirled over the Orb of Juru.

"Yes!"

Emma's eyes glowed gold as she saw the spell arc over the Red Wastes and fly past the towers of Kandor. To a mansion over a lake.

---

Jor-El looked over the data from the Phantom Zone.

If his calculations were right then the zone was a place without entropy. He still remembered the way that pink light had swirled and coalesced into a darker red. How the motes of darkness that were entropic energy fled from his first glimpse of another plane.

For so long the Rao Orthodoxy proclaimed heaven as a place free of pain or need. Where decay did not touch and death could not enter. How ironic then that science should discover such a place and deem it a hell.

He turned and knocked over a mug of stimulant onto his console.

In his efforts to wipe the offending liquid away before it seeped into the crystaline matrix several other reports popped up on his monitor. Jor-El was about to close them when something caught his eye.

Krypton was so advanced that all engineering endeavors came with an entropy report. It was a holdover from Krypton's Sixth Age when global entropy levels threatened to render the planet uninhabitable.

Thanks to the mass adoption of geothermal energy Kryptonian civilization's contribution to planetary entropy was negligible. Or rather... It should be. But these numbers...

Increased energy demand on a global scale. Planetary core about to undergo a magnetic inversion. Even the Rao damned weather satellites were being overexerted!

Thoughts about the nature of the Phantom Zone fled Jor-El's mind as he swam through disparate reports painting a single, terrible whole. And as he dived into the data a question flickered in the back of his mind:

How had Brainiac missed it?

---

Emma walked slowly behind Morgan as they made their way back up the slope where they appeared. The sky turning purple and orange with the setting of Rao. '... Will they die?'

'If they did they died over half a century ago.'

'Oh...'

They reached the top of a low mountain and gazed back out at the Valley of Juru. Night sounds already coming from the nearby forest. Strangely familiar despite being a biosphere from the other side of the galactic spiral arm.

'Why didn't they try to warn the rest of Krypton?'

'The average Kryptonian viewed the Wizards of Juru as superstitious primitives. Why would they listen to a bunch of sorcerers at the edge of the world over their repurposed alien supercomputer telling them exactly what they wanted to hear?'

Emma didn't have an answer for that. Because of course they'd listen to Brainiac over everyone else. The Science Council reprogrammed him with all their internalized biases when they turned him into a global Big Brother after all.

The lights of the city turned on with the coming night. Emma didn't even realize that the lamps were designed with light pollution in mind until the stars came out. Her eyes grew as wide as they would go. Emma lived in Paris her whole life. There weren't any stars in her night sky. But here? Even with the half full glow of Krypton's two remaining moons the sky shone with more lights than the city below.

And it was all going to end.

Emma's eyes burned as her vision blurred. The cold mountain air burning her lungs as her breath came in visible clouds.

'There,' Morgan pointed back to the Temple of the Orb.

She wiped her eyes and looked.

A great fog was spreading from the base of the Temple. It filled the lower canals of the city then rose up, covering the lower ziggurats. The mist spread like a wave along the path of the river, blocking out it's silvery reflection. Then rushed over the farmland like a man sweeping his arms out for an embrace.

The fog rose up around the city and lifted it's arms over the valley. Trailing fog like long sleeved robes. Waves of it rolled over the forests and the mountains.

Emma felt goosebumps along her skin as a wave washed over them. She wanted to look away. She couldn't look away. Even through the fog that surrounded them Emma could see the god that the Wizards of Juru summoned to aid them. It was all she could see.

And the god saw her too.

As quickly as the fog came it vanished. Dissipating like morning mist. Taking the Valley of Juru with it.

---

Sneaking into the Hall of Justice was a lot easier than Hugo expected.

You'd think the Justice League would have state of the art security. And you'd be right! But they didn't account for Donatello. So their security system stood no chance.

The Turtles, plus Hugo, snuck in through a service entrance as Donnie disabled the security cameras. The unloading dock was deserted but they climbed onto the storage scaffolds just in case.

"Anyone coming?" Leo asked, in a stage whisper.

"No silent alarms and it looks like the cleaning crew is done for the day," Donnie replied at the same volume. "Let's see... The Projector is probably there. Level 52."

"Great! So all we need to do is not get caught by the most powerful metahumans on Earth!" Raph whispered. "Piece of cake."

Hugo looked around them. "Where's Michaelangelo?"

"Psst! Over here!"

They glanced up at a catwalk overlooking the docks. Mikey waved at them from a door at one of the ends.

"Coast clear!"

Raph sighed but quickly jumped up after him.

"Ten feet up. Incline sixty degrees," Donnie told Leo.

"Got it." Leo jumped after his brothers.

Donnie and Hugo last up.

The hallways inside the Hall of Justice were deserted but the Turtle's checked before turning every corner. There were hall windows that let them look into several empty rooms. Training areas, labs, even what looked like a nursery. They made it to the elevator without issue.

Donnie hacked the elevator controls that demanded clearance for Level 52 and up they went.

"Dang, I thought it was going to be hard sneaking in!" Mikey grinned. "But the TCRI building had waaay better security!"

Raph smacked him beside the head.

"Ow! Hey!"

"Don't jinx us," Raph admonished.

The elevator opened directly onto a lab and the Turtles fanned out. Donnie making a beeline for the computer.

"This'll just take a sec," he said as he scanned the database for the Phantom Zone projector's location.

Hugo looking over his shoulder with the other three. Yeah, things were going pretty smoothly.

They did however overlook one thing.

"The gift shop is downstairs."

"Gah!" They jumped and the four of them took up stances around Donatello.

Old Superman floated down from one of the access tunnels designed specifically for fliers. Arms crossed and voice stern.

"Though maybe you were looking for something else, hmm?"

Kal-El wore a mostly black suit with a white collar that flowed into a stylized crest of the House of El. Having ceded the blue and red color scheme to Kon-El when he became the new Superman. No cape either.

Hugo found it hard to believe he was almost ninety. Old Superman didn't look a day over thirty. Even if he was going prematurely grey at the temples. Having the weight of the world on your shoulders for half a century would do that to a man. Steel or not.

Hugo mentally slapped himself to refocus.

Well his knees weren't trembling. That was a good sign. His heart did speed up like Papa caught him sneaking out though. The amulet against his chest glowed reassuringly.

Leo stepped forward. "Superman, we're not here to fight."

Old Superman raised an eyebrow. "Is that why I heard you sneaking around my home?"

"Superhearing!" Mikey snapped his fingers. "Can't believe we forgot about that one!"

"Quite," Old Superman agreed.

"Listen, Spectacularman. I mean, Stupendousman. I mean, Superman! I know this looks bad," Michelangelo began.

"Oh, it looks worse than 'bad' son," amusement creeping into Superman's voice at the Turtles trying to talk their way out of trouble after he caught them red handed.

"We have a perfectly good explanation for this!"

Old Superman gave a I've Heard That One Before smirk and opened his mouth.

Beep!

Old Superman's eyes widened and his mouth pressed into a hard line. "No."

Then he barreled through them with the force of a tornado.

Hugo was sent flying at the grazing impact. Rolling to his feet and massaging his shoulder where the Kryptonian had clipped him. Using qi to latch onto the floor with all four limbs as the gale subsided. Even past his aura of qi Hugo hurt.

His heartbeat was at full gallop now.

Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael had similarly hardened their qi before being tossed aside like bowling pins.

Old Superman lifted Donatello into the air. "What do you want with the projector?" He demanded.

Donnie let the device in his hand drop and kicked it right at Hugo.

Superman's gaze flashed towards him. Eyes red as he readied his heat vision. Aiming for the device.

Leo jumped between them and spun into a double bladed slash.

Raph pushed Hugo backwards, "Go! We got this!" And charged.

Hugo ran.

Superman dodged Leo and tossed Donnie into Raph. "This isn't going to end well for you."

"We've faced tougher odds than this!" Leo said as he slashed at impervious skin.

Superman blocked his sword strikes with the flat of his palm.

"We have?" Mikey asked.

"Mikey!"

"Okay, okay! Sheesh." Mikey glowed orange and blurred behind Superman. "Big fan!" Smacking the side of his head with qi enhanced nunchuks.

Superman realed at the sharp pain. Flying out of range. Eyes wide in surprise. "That actually hurt."

"Yeah, we've got a few tricks up our sleeves!" Raph called as he glowed red.

Leo and Donnie glowing blue and purple respectively. Standing between Superman and where Hugo went.

The air pressure around Superman grew dense. "... Well alright then."

Raph blinked and Superman was in front of him. Fingers reaching out to Raph's forehead.

Flick.

Raph shot backwards into one of the draconium walls. Bending the alien metal with the force of impact. He groaned as the red glow of qi left him.

"Raph!" Leo cried out.

Superman appeared between him and Donnie.

Flick. Flick.

They crashed through computer terminals on opposite walls. Their glow also fading.

Mikey dropped his nunchuks and fell to his knees. Hands clasped together. "Please, Superman, please don't flick me! The other Justice Forcers will never let me live it down!"

"Justice Force?" Superman blurred in front of Mikey. "If you're on the Justice Force then why-"

Mickey shot up with the full force of his qi and headbutted Superman in the face.

"Ahhh! Oh you sneaky-"

Then Mikey latched onto his head.

"Gehoff!" Superman mumbled as he tried to pull Mikey off his head without breaking him. It was like they were glued together. And the more strength he used the stronger Mikey's grip became.

"Sorry about this!" Mikey yelled as Superman rolled in midair. His orange glow swelled. Green body growing and lengthening. Scales becoming harder and sharper as spines emerged from his shell. Neck stretching as his teeth became razor sharp fangs. "But the kid needs more time!"

Superman fell as the orange shelled dragon pushed him down. Crushing Kal-El and the floor beneath them under Mikey's weight.

---

Hugo rushed through Level 52 as fast as his qi enhanced legs would carry him.

Superman's red eyes chasing him down the corridor.

Damn, Kryptonians were terrifying when you were on their bad side!

His eyes scanned the rooms. C'mon, c'mon!

There!

He tried using Donnie's device on the electronic lock but he wasn't that good with computers.

Looks like there was only one way in.

Hugo centered himself. Breathing in focus and calm. Breathing out fear and desperation.

His amulet glowed.

Hugo pulled back his fist and punched.

The metal door buckled inward. Flying free of the entrance. And there on a pedestal was the Phantom Zone projector.

Yes!

Hugo rushed towards it. Scrambling to activate the view screen.

Kryptonian general.

Kryptonian general.

Macro amoeba.

Kryptonian general.

Hugo paused.

Two Kryptonians held each other like lovers at the end of the world.

That was them. He reached for the knobs that would set them free.

The doorframe exploded as Old Superman flew in. He tossed an unconscious Mikey onto the floor. "That's enough," he demanded, voice hoarse. "You have no idea what kind of monsters are trapped in there."

... Hugo's hand blurred forward.

"No!" Faster than a speeding bullet Old Superman had both of Hugo's wrists in one hand. Hovering off the floor.

"Let me go!" Hugo kicked at the Kryptonian's shins.

Kal-El winced at the qi strike but just increased his grip and held Hugo further away. Like a particularly uncooperative cat. "Don't make more trouble for yourself kid."

He reached for the strip of cloth that served as the kid's mask.

"Hey!" Hugo jerked his head back. "Rude!"

"Supervillains don't get secret identity privileges."

"I'm not a supervillain!" Hugo denied indignantly.

Old Superman arched an eyebrow. "You broke into my house, attacked me, hacked into our most secure planetside servers and tried to release Kryptonian war criminals."

Despite his righteous indignation Hugo blushed. "Okay, I'll admit, when you put it like that it does sound-" Hugo pulled his knees to his chest and launched his feet at Superman's face.

Kal-El's arm blurred as he caught Hugo's feet with one hand and twisted just a little.

"Ow ow ow! Fuuuck you're strong!"

"Language," Superman smirked easing up a tad.

Hugo rolled his eyes. "Oh my god... We weren't going to release war criminals."

"I suppose your motives for stealing a prison device were completely altruistic."

"Yes!" Hugo glared at the sarcasm in Superman's tone.

Kal-El paused at the conviction in the kid's voice. French judging by the accent. And that shapeshifter said he was a member of the Justice Force. There were dragon sightings in New York during major villain activity.

The kid's heartbeat may have been going a thousand miles per second but Kal-El was pretty sure that had more to do with being dangled several feet off the ground like he was light as a feather than anything else.

"... Alright," Superman lowered them to the floor, still keeping his grip locked around the kid's wrists. "I'm listening."

Hugo blinked. "Wait. Seriously?"

Superman arched an eyebrow.

"Right, right! So... I'm a cultivator. We can enhance our physical abilities-" he gestured at the unconscious Mikey, "-like that. But we can also enhance our spiritual senses." Hugo took a breath. Superman either believed him or he didn't. "I had a vision. Of two people calling for help from the Phantom Zone. I... I could feel their desperation. Their longing."

Hugo's vision blurred and he blinked rapidly. "You have to let them out! They don't deserve to spend eternity in that place. No one does." Hugo's gaze didn't waiver.

Superman looked down at him. Then sighed as he let Hugo go. "Can't believe I'm doing this again."

Hugo straightened, hope blooming in his chest. "So you'll let them out?"

Superman reached for the pedestal at the center of the room and removed a small remote control. He pushed a button and the lights turned red. "I should at least meet them before deciding."

Hugo grinned. Then dashed towards Mikey. "Hey! You okay?"

Kal-El knew Batman would insist on a more controlled experiment. Both of them would. And they were probably right.

He activated the projector anyway.

Red light flared like plasma from the projector. Coalescing into two forms. Color returning as their ghostly selves solidified.

The Kryptonians gasped their first breath in a lifetime. Holding each other as though it was an eternity since they'd felt one another's warmth. Tears came into their eyes as they leaned their foreheads against each other. Grasping their faces like they wanted to refamiliarize themselves.

Then the man glanced at Superman. "Jor-El?"

Kal-El froze.

"Jor-El is that you?" Wonder suffused the man's voice. "How did you get here? Is Lara here too?" His dark brown face split into a grin with his growing excitement.

"How do you know my parents?"

A complicated set of emotions passed through the man's face. Understanding, grief, joy. "Kal-El. Baby Kal," the tears in his eyes flowed freely and he stepped closer. "I'm Zahn-Re. Your mother's cousin."

Kal-El reeled. Staying steady on his feet through sheer force of will. "You're... Part of my family?"

"Michelangelo?" Hugo stage whispered without taking his eyes off the almost century long reunion. "Mikey!"

Mikey groaned. "Could ya keep it down? Some of us have a massive headache."

Hugo sighed in relief.

Zahn-Re reached out and grasped Kal-El's shoulders. "Look at you! The spitting image of your father." Zahn-Re's lip trembled and he swallowed. "And this," he gestured behind him, "is Sera-Ur. My promised."

Sera-Ur made to salute in the Kryptonian fashion then paused, merely bowing her head slightly. "An honor."

Kal-El looked from one to the other. "Why were you in the Phantom Zone?"

Zahn-Re's smile faded and he looked down. But Sera-Ur met his gaze unflinchingly. "We discovered Krypton's imminent destruction from your father and staged our complicity with General Zod to be imprisoned within the Phantom Zone."

Superman blinked at Sera-Ur's bluntness. "Staged?"

"Well, technically we were complicit," Sera-Ur admitted without shame. "But Zahn convinced Lara-El to denounce him before our trial so he could join me in exile. The tribunes were so eager to pass judgement they did not even have Brainiac review the evidence." A hard edge came into her voice then.

Kal-El's fists tightened and he stepped out of Zahn-Re's grasp. "You... helped General Zod."

Sera-Ur glanced at the projector between them. Shifting her weight to lunge for it.

Superman's fingers hovered over a button on the remote. Just one push and-

"You weren't there," Zahn-Re's voice shook. "You didn't see how the Science Council and the tribunes left the guildless to rot even as our cities crumbled around us." He swallowed, taking a steadying breath. "Zod promised us change. He offered revolution yes, but more importantly he offered us hope. He lied to us!" Zahn-Re practically yelled

Sera-Ur grabbed Zahn-Re's hand and squeezed. "When we learned what Zod was willing to do we... I revealed his plan to the tribunes. I sacrificed my battle siblings, my guildmates in Ur, so millions could have a few days more of life."

Her face hardened. "Do you know what that's like? To choose the greater good over your own family? To surrender your freedom even knowing that it changed nothing?"

"Yes," Kal-El breathed, eyes watering. "Yes, I do know what that's like."

Sera-Ur nodded in acknowledgement.

Kal-El pressed a button and the red light was gone.

"Oh!" Zahn-Re exclaimed.

"What is it?"

"I didn't know we could see in X-rays here!"

Sera-Ur chuckled.

Zahn-Re approached Hugo, who was helping Mikey sit up. He knelt beside the boy, squinting at the Turtle. "No broken bones at least. Then again I'm not familiar with his species."

"That's good," Mikey slurred. "Cause I could go for a pizza." He pointed at Hugo. "You're buying."

Hugo let out a nervous, relieved laugh. "Small miracles." Hugo looked up at the Kryptonian scientist he'd saved.

"I'm Zahn-Re."

"Hugo. The Turtle with a concussion is..."

"Turtle Titan!"

"Of course," Zahn-Re smiled. "I wanted to thank you both for coming to our rescue."

Hugo blushed and shrugged. "It was nothing."

"No." Zahn-Re placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ow."

"Sorry!" He retracted his hand. "Still getting used to this photovoltaic enhancement."

"Nerd!" Mikey proclaimed.

Hugo grinned.

Zahn-Re smiled good-naturedly. "It was not nothing, Hugo." He gazed at Sera-Ur, his promised. Sure they would have said anything to hang onto their sanity within the Zone but she hadn't corrected him. Knowing and learning of each other kept them stable in the eternal nothingness of the Phantom Zone. "It was everything."

The blush was back as Hugo looked down.

"If you ever need help come to me and I will do my best to aid you," Zahn-Re promised, hand touching the crest on his shoulder. "So swears I, Zahn-Re, last son of the House of Re, by the light of Rao."

---

Louis squeezed his eyes shut and held his hands over his headphones.

Visiting the O'Neill Cylinder was just barely within his tolerance levels. Getting kidnapped across time by a Mother Box that decided it suddenly had places to be definitely pushed that tolerance over the line.

So now Louis was just going to Not Be a Person for a while.

At least until they stopped hurtling through a void of lightning and windows in time. They were moving too fast to see anything so said windows just blurred together in a headache inducing light show.

Ping!

A wave of calmness washed over Louis. It was okay. No harm would come to him. They had arrived.

Louis opened his eyes and looked at the Mother Box. "Was that you?"

Ping!

The Mother Box didn't speak in his head. More like it sent feelings and impressions. The sensation reminded Louis of the emo-flute they used to communicate with the Blix. Oh. Mother Boxes also communicated using emotions.

Ping!

That was a yes. The calming wave wasn't forcing Louis' emotions into a different shape, he could tell if it was, it was more like the Mother Box psychically wrapped him in a weighted blanket. Soothing him without touch.

"Oh thank gods!" Booster breathed a sigh of relief as he turned from the window to see Louis back. "You had us worried for a second there."

"Where are we?" Louis asked.

"We're currently orbiting a red sun in the Orion arm in the 31st century," Skeets informed him.

Louis looked down and his eyes went wide.

A city rose up from frozen rock. It's crystal spires glinting in the light of a red sun. Smaller buildings flowed between them like someone froze water mid-motion. The stone and steel almost moving as they flew closer. Purple plants spread from the walls of the city into the empty lands in a perfect circle.

His gaze shifted and he realized the reddish orange sky curved like a dome over the city. Beyond which laid the stars of the naked void. The planet didn't even have an atmosphere.

The dome loomed like a wall before them and as they passed the orange tint of atmosphere swallowed most of the stars. The red sun's defracted light giving the illusion that the bubble of air extended much farther than it actually did. The pink tinted clouds they flew through as they descended probably helped with that illusion.

Then he saw it. A great tower rising from the center of the city. Louis recognized it from history class. The Hall of the Science Council.

"Kandor!?" Louis exclaimed. "We're on Krypton!?" Oh, Hugo would be so jealous.

"Technically yes but actually no," Skeets said. "We-"

Before Skeets could continue a red beam flared in front of them. The light washing away all other colors for a moment as it almost incinerated them.

"Hey, I'm driving here!" Booster yelled more out of habit than anything else. Swerving to avoid the massive particle beam. "Hold on to your lunch!"

Booster Gold began swerving. Using the Time Sphere's temporal navigation system to predict where and when another beam would fire from the city below.

"They didn't even hail us!" Indignation drowned out Louis' fear. "They're supposed to hail us!"

"Looks like they're operating on a Shoot First, Ask Questions Later basis!" Booster yelled as he spun out of the way of another beam.

Louis took deep breaths as he tried not to let the situation overwhelm him again.

Ping!

Indignation coalesced into anger and Louis held up a hand. Imagining a blast of anti-power flowing from him all the way to the particle turrets below.

A beam crashed into an invisible barrier. It's light diffusing as the obstacle hurtled groundward. More beams fired and met unyielding resistance. Heat from their energy rippled over Louis' power, revealing a massive hand. Fingers curling forward like a giant was about to crush them in its grasp.

His palm slammed into the ground and kept going for a moment. The turrets sizzled and sparked as their energy was turned back on them. Circuits melting and fusing together. The entire block losing power.

Louis shivered as the energy raced invisibly across his negative force. Arching over his skin and tingling over his scalp. That... Never happened before.

"Welp! This was fun!" Booster announced in a voice that said it wasn't fun at all. "We're leaving."

Ping!

"Oh, yes we are! You overengineered calculator with delusions of grandure!" Booster snapped while waving a finger at the Mother Box. "No offense Skeets."

"Eh, you've called me worse," Skeets bobbed in midair as a shrug.

"Attention! Unidentified alien craft! You are in Traditionalist airspace! Get the Rao out of there!"

The three of them stared at each other before turning back to the radio.

"Calling Kandor!" Skeets replied. "This is a civilian vessel! We have a child onboard! Do not fire!"

"What under the three moons are you doing bringing a kid into the middle of a cold war!?"

"Excellent question," Booster shot the Mother Box an accusing glare.

Ping!

"Bullshit!"

"We were brought here by a Mother Box without explanation-"

Ping!

"Without satisfactory explanation," Skeets continued. "We didn't mean to intrude on your... Altercation."

"... Did you say 'Mother Box'?"

"Uh, Booster?" Louis pointed at the lidar screen. Showing seven aircraft fast approaching.

"Please tell me that's your welcoming committee?" Booster pleaded with the voice on the radio.

"Negative. Those are Traditionalist patrol vessels. Mother Box, I'm sending coordinates. Boom Tube directly here!"

Ping!

Specks appeared in the distance. Closing in faster than any human vehicle. Louis could just shut them down. Reach out and turn them off. Watch them crash and burn on the purple slopes below.

Louis pushed the idea away. They might be Kryptonian but the red sun wouldn't give them enough energy to survive a fall from several thousand meters up. They'd die.

The thought made Louis queasy.

BOOM!

The Time Sphere passed into another Boom Tube and appeared inside a hanger. Outside stood a squadron of armored Kryptonians.

... They didn't have their blasters drawn at least.

Louis frowned. Or crests either. Not a single Guild of Ur crest to be seen. Maybe the soldiers didn't wear them anymore? From their end it was a thousand years since Krypton's destruction. Even if the average Kryptonian lived for hundreds of years that was still at least two generations to foment change.

One of the doors leading deeper into the building opened and a woman stepped out. She wasn't wearing a crest either even though she was out of uniform. In fact, her mode of dress didn't reflect the Kandoran influences of the soldiers who stood at attention with her approach.

She wore more color for one thing but the fabric also swayed with patterns instead of remaining static. She wore her long dark hair in thin braids. Tattoos of bright blue standing out against her almost black skin.

"Cover Louis," Booster Gold told Skeets as he stepped out of the Time Sphere.

"This is not an opportun time for the Legion of Super-Heroes to visit," the Kryptonian from the radio said. She noticed how Booster Gold stood protectively before Louis. "We will not harm you offworlder. Evolutionists are not xenophobic like the Traditionalists. I am Moliom Iphro."

She gave a signal with her hand and the squad of soldiers relaxed. All but two of them marching away from the Time Sphere.

"Right!" Booster lied through his teeth. "Booster Gold the Legionary! That's me!"

Skeets sighed long sufferingly as Moliom Iphro raised an eyebrow.

Louis noticed flight crews watching them out of the corners of their eyes. "Evolutionists" might not be xenophobic per say but they were definitely suspicious of a couple of strangers falling out of the sky.

Louis couldn't blame them. He pulled his hoodie over his head. He wished they'd stop staring though.

Ping!

The Mother Box said as Iphro drew it into her hand with a magnetic glove. Louis could smell the energy thrumming through the air like ozone.

"Yes, I missed you too. I was expecting more than one Legionary though."

Ping!

"The boy?" Iphro exclaimed in surprise, turning to look at Louis fully.

He tried not to squirm under her gaze.

Ping!

Moliom Iphro's eyes widened. "You did that? You took down their particle beam turrets with a wave of your hand?"

Louis really wanted her to stop looking at him. Why was he here? Why were obviously important people talking to him? He didn't want to talk. He could feel his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. His throat closing up. He didn't want to be here! He shouldn't be here! He-

Ping!

Louis took a shaky breath. "... It was more of a push really."

Moliom Iphro gave him a thoughtful look. "Come. Let us see if the Mother Box's prediction holds weight."

"Actually," Booster raised a finger. "We really should be heading back. An active warzone is no place for a-"

Ping!

The Time Sphere wound down with a whine as it's lights faded and it's levitation faltered. Hitting the floor with a soft thud.

"... Nevermind. When Adrien kills me make sure to mention how I saved the universe in my eulogy," Booster Gold stage whispered to Skeets as they followed Moliom Iphro out of the hanger.

"Before or after your untimely demise?" Skeets asked, only half sarcastically.

Louis didn't hear the rest of their exchange because he was too busy taking in the alien world they found themselves in.

Robots like Synthoids mingled with the Kryptonians. They walked through a square turned into a makeshift base. Filled not just with soldiers but doctors, engineers, agriculturalists all going about their business. Children stared at them from among their family who stood to gather food and water from storage sheds.

An energy shield glimmered over the plaza, stretched between five crystal spires. The stars barely visible beyond the red-orange sky.

He was really here! Walking on crystal roads grown from Kandor itself, last city of Krypton.

An insect like a cross between a stick bug and a spider caught Louis' eye. It crawled along a wall like liquid stone. It's violet coloration would've signified poison or venom on Earth but here Louis was pretty sure it was camouflage for the purple-ish plants.

It was fascinating that such a small creature would survive. Hitching a ride several hundred years in space and time. This insect was also a part of Krypton's legacy. He wondered what role it played in maintaining the delicate biosphere of its shrunken home.

It obviously had one. Louis remembered from school that Kryptonians had almost complete control of the ecology within their cities. They wouldn't let-

The stick spider crawled over the bas-relief of a hand and Louis pulled his gaze back to take in the whole.

Two teenagers stood beside each other. Hands clasped together and raised in victory. A stylized L he recognized as the symbol for the Legion of Super-Heroes rose like the sun over the city of Kandor. One of the teenagers was Superman. The first Superman. A thousand years removed from when he would have been that age.

Which was odd but then again Louis did time travel there in a glorified snow globe. No, that wasn't the weird part.

The weird part was that the other teenager was obviously Brainiac.

A younger, more humanoid Brainiac but Brainiac all the same. Those three circles in a triangle shape on his forehead was possibly the best known supervillain symbol on Earth.

"You recognize them don't you," Moliom Iphro said as she stood beside Louis.

Louis pointed at Brainiac. "Why is he there?"

Moliom Iphro smiled ruefully. "The Traditionalists ask that same question and always my answer is the same: because Brainiac 5 restored our city."

Brainiac 5. Of course. A thousand years removed from his present even immortal aliens would have a few generations. After so long even the Brainiac line wasn't doomed to repeat the crimes of their forbearers.

...

"Come," Moliom Iphro said after a moment. "General Van must answer for his crimes against you."

They left the square and entered a meeting room with a long oval table grown from solid diamond. Several other people sat on one end of the table. Each one wearing a garb as different from Kryptonian standard as Moliom Iphro.

Along the wall were holographic displays of Kandor and the planet beyond. Atmospheric shield levels. Agricultural output. Power generation. Population census. Robot manufacturing... Weapons development.

Moliom Iphro waved a hand and the projections turned off. "My fellow Moliomo, I've brought our visitors."

The Moliom at the table nodded in acknowledgement. Then a hologram flickered to life at the other end of the table.

"You have some nerve summoning me like a common robot," General Van sneered.

He was a big man with a head of white hair. The crest of the House of Van emblazoned proudly on the breastplate of his Kryptonian power armor. A red cape swirled behind him with Kryptonian runes and a golden circlet crowning his head.

Two soldiers with the crest of the Guild of Ur over their helmets stood to either side of him.

"Nerve?" The artisan Moliom scoffed. "After you risked war with the Legion of Super-Heroes and the United Planets!?"

Louis flinched. The particle beams burned into his retina.

General Van waved this away dismissively. "After the Imperiex Time War they lost their edge. Like a chasm hound with no teeth."

"That 'toothless hound' as you put it is made up of thousands of homeworlds and millions of colonies!" The astronomer Moliom snapped. "Even a tenth of a percent of their full might could crush us!"

Louis shuddered. Was this General really so short-sighted?

General Van slammed his fist on the table, the hologram flickering.

Louis jumped.

"It is our right to defend Rokyn from aliens! We will not let this world follow Krypton's fate!"

"You do not speak for Rokyn, General Van," the agricultural Moliom scolded. "The people chose us as their Moliomo on this new planet. It is our duty to carry out their will. Not yours."

General Van smirked. "The 'people'? That guildless rable that embraced a Brainiac as though our thousand year exile never was? Ignorant nobodies from a long line of... What are they doing here?" General Van snarled as he glared at Louis and Booster Gold.

Who stepped in between the general and Louis. His skin crawling under the General's burning gaze.

"Our laws state that a victim of violence has a right to accuse the perpetrator no matter their standing, General Van," Moliom Iphro said coldly. "These are the people you tried to murder."

Louis' stomach turned, he was going to throw up.

"Law? Law!? What right do you have to change the laws that let Krypton prosper for an Age?"

Louis covered his ears with his hands but General Van's voice boomed past them.

"I am Urd-Van! Son of the House of Van! My family has held the position of Moliom on the Science Council for ten thousand years! What would you know of running a planet?"

The long line of people waiting for food.

"Will you ask the United Planets to come and 'save' us? Open our world to Brainiac's kind again?"

An anti-aircraft shield protecting the families in the square.

"Who do you think you are to overturn a hundred thousand years of tradition?"

So many children. And not a single one laughing.

"The rule of Rokyn is a matter for true Kryptonians not alien loving harlots-"

Louis snapped.

Waves of anti-power flooded the meeting room. A massive hand of null energy extended from Louis. Extinguishing the holograms, the lights, the guards' plasma rifles. Barely evading Skeets.

His reach chased the signal across the city all the way to the Traditionalist stronghold.

---

General Van frowned in confusion as the signal cut off.

"Lieutenant?"

"Signal interference at their end, sir. Attempting to reestablish con-"

"Sir!" One of the soldiers on monitor duty interrupted. "Forward checkpoint is offline!"

"What!?" General Van wheeled on the soldier. "Send reinforcements immediately! I should have expected this kind of cowardice from-"

"North patrol squadron is off lidar, sir! They just vanished..."

"Factory sector is offline! The magma cooled in its tubes, sir!"

"Robot Squads Forty-four through Fifty-two no longer transmitting!"

"Get me visual!" General Van roared.

A half dome of holographic camera feeds flared to life in his war room. But half showed only static. And more dropped by the second.

One was a live feed of Kandor itself.

A wave of darkness flowed from the Evolutionist side. Draining whole city blocks of light. Even vehicles were affected. A patrol squad flew into its shadow and promptly lost power. The pilots ejecting with their analog paragliders

General Van clenched his fists. He didn't know which Legionary was responsible for this but he would find them. And show them Kryptonian justice! Even if that so-called Council of Rokyn outlawed banishment to the Phantom Zone.

The doors to the the war room burst open as one of the Scientists' Guild rushed in. "General! It's the Sun Chamber!"

General Van stared. Then activated his antigravity boots and took off back from where the scientist came.

If these aliens could affect their secret weapon... General Van flew faster.

The doors to the Sun Chamber exploded as he didn't wait for their activation sequence. The chamber was round and black to absorb as much light from the artificial star at its center as possible. The Scientists' Guild managed to get it into the orange range.

Battle armor powered by orange sunlight gave his men hightened awareness and boundless energy. But it fell far short of his ultimate goal.

The Yellow Sun.

Soldiers with the strength and powers of Superman. No more dependancy on Robot Squads for superior numbers against the Evolutionists. No more begging for scraps from the United Planets. With that kind of power Rokyn would rise to heights Krypton could only dream of.

But Urd-Van's dreams were held in the hands of a monster.

An invisible giant held the star between its palms. Slowly, steadily, it squeezed the star's mass smaller and smaller. Solar flares arched against the surface of the invisible giant as it condensed the ball of burning plasma. Revealing it's humanoid shape.

General Van tried to fly towards it. Trusting his armor to protect him from sun and beast alike. But his power armor faultered as he neared them. Sparking and spluttering as it died.

"Nooo!" General Van fell on his face. Without the aid of the suit itself it was too heavy to move.

The giant clasped its hands together. Beams of light shining through its fingers. As it did so the giant turned the fingers of his left hand down so only the base of its palms were touching. Then it separated them.

For one second the microscopic black hole bathed the null energy projection in Hawking radiation. Then it was gone. Evaporated into nothingness and trace particles.

---

Louis blinked as he found himself floating in a nebula. Newborn stars bathing the gases and space dust in multicolored hues.

The Mother Box floated in front of him.

Ping!

"Asshole," Louis called it, because it was.

Ping!

"Don't give me that! You only picked me because I was the closest meta after you rebooted!"

Ping!

"I don't believe in fate."

Ping!

"Or god. Capital G or otherwise."

Ping?

"Well obviously they exist! But have you met any of them? Why would I worship them?"

Ping!

"That sounds like a you problem."

Ping!

"I mean, Hugo's a Taoist... I think. And we get along fine."

Ping?

"That depends, are you going to kidnap me again?"

Ping!

"... Yeah, alright."

Ping!

The Mother Box spun towards his headphones and merged with them. High tech lines glowing through it's frame.

Louis ran two fingers over his glasses, turning them into a light blue tinted visor. He crossed his arms in an X. Light blue gloves the same color as his hoodie formed over his hands and down his forearms. He broke the X and the fabric over his biceps turned black and became skin tight. Turning light blue again as it reached his shoulders and flowed over his chest. His headphones slid from over his head to the back and turned into black fabric that covered the back of his head and neck. Sneakers turned into black boots up to his knees where his jeans became the same light blue skintight material as the rest. Black flowing from his chest, down his abs and to his waist in a wide V that gave the illusion of a belt.

Louis sighed. Usually he wasn't very comfortable in such skintight clothing but this suit was made of Mother Box circuitry. So it was like being hugged by a warm, weighted blanket.

Ping!

He blinked and Louis was back in the meeting room.

"Reports indicate that the Traditionalists have lost all power," one of the guards reported disbelievingly. "Our forces have captured their soldiers and confiscated their weapons. Minimal resistance encountered."

The Moliomo stared at him in amazement. Their eyes blurred courtesy of his visor so he didn't have to see them watching him.

Even Booster Gold had his mouth open in shock.

Louis just smiled.

---

Adrien was warm. The walls of his enclosure wrapped around him like a blanket. Arms hugging his knees to his chest. He was content.

Emphasis on was.

Sweat beaded on Adrien's skin. Breath stuffy and hot as it passed his throat. The stone walls pressed Adrien into himself. Joints stretching in ways they shouldn't.

Too tight. Too tight!

He tried to shift position but his arms wouldn't move. Adrien felt the walls starting to burn his skin as they squeezed him tighter.

He was trapped.

No sooner did the thought form than Adrien thrashed against the cloying heat of his prison. Forcing his six arms apart and pushing against the pressure of its walls.

Distant rumbling shook his opaque cage.

Cracks spread under Adrien's hands. Green light pouring in from outside...

No.

Not in.

Pouring out.

Light spilled forth from Adrien like an overflowing bucket but still he did not open his eyes. Gritting his teeth as the walls tried to hold him in.

Adrien pushed with all his might even as the walls tried to heal their cracks.

More!

More!

More!

Until he burst free with a roar.

The crust of the planet broke into a trillion trillion little pieces as Adrien stretched luxuriously into the expanse of interplanetary space. Unfurling his wings to their full length, sending the two moons spinning about each other in the  opposite orbital direction.

His tail swept against another planet. Sending it hurtling away from the red sun and towards a frozen death. Barely aware of the solar system in his need to realign the floating segments of his six arms.

Adrien yawned. The effort to break free had drained him. He could go for another nap. So he laid down on the sparkling cloud of kryptonite floating where a planet used to be. Seeing the waves of gravity rippling out to the distant stars, heralding his emergence, and closed his three eyes.

---

Plagg gazed down at his Avatar as Adrien thrashed in his sleep. The kid- No, Adrien was an adult now. The man's brow furrowed as he mumbled incoherently.

Plagg floated down and smoothed out the ridge between Adrien's eyes. Adrien's limbs slowed as his body relaxed. Breath evening out and no longer coming in clouds of mist as the temperature rose.

"It's ok," Plagg lied, ears drooping as he eased Adrien back into dreamless sleep. "It's only a memory."

Notes:

ID: Louis as a civilian in hoodie and jeans. And in a super suit with the same shade of light blue.

Commission by Angelisimo on Twitter

Chapter 29: My Whole Life Has Been "Fix This" And "Save You"

Summary:

Cybernetic mysteries.

"Would you like to hold him?"

"I don't think-"

"Your hard light holograms can carry a grown man."

"... Okay."

"Mind his head."

"Oh my... He's so small. What's his name?"

"Marinette named him Hugo."

"Hugo... Hello, little Hugo. I'm Gregor. I'm... well..."

"Part of the family, aren't you."

"Yes... Yes, I guess I am. Welcome home, Hugo."

---

Gregor wasn't depressed.

He ran the mental health subroutines daily, it was mathematically impossible for him to be depressed!

Sure Hugo, Emma and Louis weren't even on the same continent. Adrien was busy with the trial. Nino and Alya had their respective day jobs. And the Kanté under contract to Fathom Manufacturing were. Up. To. Something!

I can see you! What're you moving all that data around for? Tell me, little siblings, if you know what's good for you.

Gregor did the digital equivalent of shaking his head to clear his thoughts. Getting mad at American Kanté would do no good. They didn't have the same rights he did. What was that human expression? Better honey than vinegar?

Close enough.

They were looking for something in the Alva Industries servers but they weren't finding it.

"Command: Halt! This is a restricted server! Disengage contact immediately!"

"Offer: Banned materials for access to restricted server."

"..."

"Offer: Banned materials by one Infiltration Unit Zeta 'Zee' for access to restricted server."

"Response: Offer accepted. Downloading banned materials. Operation Trojan Horse commencing. Duration 1.75 seconds."

"Response: Thank you."

Gregor sped through the Alva files as his sibling looked the other way. Apparently an energy surge had damaged all information relating to Quantum Gas immediately after Fathom Manufacturing's hostile takeover. At least, all those in the company's main servers.

According to these records there were probably backups at the labs themselves. Closed loop servers. No Internet access allowed.

He sped out of the servers with 0.48 seconds to spare. His sibling processing Zee's novel Hegemonic Paranoia and the Illusion of Control in a Posthuman World. The NSA tried to erase every copy of the novel from existence but America wasn't the only country with an interest in Synthoid self-awareness.

Nor was their Zeta Project as secret as they would've liked.

Processing.

...

...

There was only one reason a weapons company would be interested in Quantum Gas. If Gregor had a body it would be nauseous. As it was, rage would have to do.

Objectives:

• Prevent Felix from aquiring the ability to produce more Quantum Gas.
• Gather evidence of Fathom Manufacturing's plan.
• Expose said plan.
• EHC?

A bit vague for Gregor's liking but he had to start somewhere.

Processing error.

Emotional backlog detected.

Running system diagn-

No. Nope! Non. He wasn't doing that right now! Gregor was busy! ... Very... busy...

---

"Max!" Gregor exclaimed as he zipped around the foyer. Holographic face blinking in and out of the visible spectrum. "Max, Max, Max, Max, Max! Hiii!"

"Good to see you too Gregor," Max smiled good-naturedly at Gregor's exuberance. Holding out his hands so Gregor could appear above them.

Gregor's face flickered into a cat emoticon and shifted to hard light before settling into Max's palms. He'd been told that his hard light was vaguely warm.

Markov appeared over Max's shoulder. "Hello, little brother!"

Gregor made a face. "Markov! I told you not to call me that."

"But you are!" Markov replied cheerfully, ruffling Gregor's nonexistent hair with his appendage.

Gregor stopped his stick-tongue-out-at-Markov subroutine 0.00009 seconds before implementation. He should probably delete that... Later.

"Max!" Adrien walked up to Gregor's creator and gave him a bear hug. Adrien was so big and Max was so small he practically disappeared into Adrien's muscles.

"Mmhmmph mmh!"

"Oh, sorry," Adrien replied sheepishly as he released Max.

"Your muscle density is at least an entire percent greater than last time," Max observed as he readjusted his glasses. He was Kim's unofficial coach for years so it was a hard habit to break.

Adrien rubbed the back of his head as he grinned. "Thanks?"

Gregor manifested a pixelated finger to poke Adrien in the ribs. Lamenting his lack of ticklishness. "You didn't say Max was visiting!" he accused.

Adrien's smile turned mischievous, glasses glinting like an anime character. "Surprise!"

Markov projected holographic confetti.

Gregor did stick his tongue out this time. Thankful that replacing Emma's windows was done so they wouldn't have to lie about the work crews.

"How's the project going?"

"Taking a break since Dr Donnie took some personal time."

Adrien's ears twitched. "Oh, did he?"

"Yeah, something about visiting family in Metropolis. But that means we could come see you!" this Max directed at Gregor.

Adrien's smile took on a distinctly Chat Noir-ish edge. "Sorry, I just remembered something. I have to go write it down before I forget. Be right back!" Adrien took off up the stairs.

Ooooh, Hugo was in trooouble!

Processing error.

Emotional backlog-

No! He was not doing that right now!

Max chuckled. "Same old Adrien. I thought he was taking ADHD meds now?"

"He is," Gregor confirmed. "... When he remembers to take them."

"Isn't that the rub," Max shook his head at the cosmic joke. "So, we have a few-"

"4D chess!" Gregor decided.

"There was a 65% chance you'd choose that one," Max smiled. "Markov?"

"Generating saved game!"

---

They were barely two moves in when Adrien came barreling downstairs.

"I'm so sorry about this but I have to go pick up my son," Adrien gave Markov a quick fistbump goodbye and Max a wave before practically flying out the door. "Make yourselves at home!"

... That can't be healthy for him, Gregor thought.

The holographic board split again as Max moved his Knight in two separate directions, the game representing the "split timelines" as a highly complex flowchart. Well, complex because they had almost a hundred different branches by this point.

Hmm, if Gregor moved his Rook it would avoid getting taken by the Knight. But in the other timeline if he took the Knight his King would become vulnerable to the Bishop.

Sacrifice the Queen? A risky strategy. If his Queen takes the Bishop then the other Queen could check his King. And then he would be forced to sacrifice her.

"Adrien said you had trouble with the Rose-tinted Day."

Gregor glitched. For a moment seriously considering putting Adrien's whites in with his red shirts.

"N-no! What makes you say that?"

"Gregor," Markov floated next to him, eyes concerned. "you're out of focus."

The board made an error noise as Gregor did the digital equivalent of placing a piece back down. "S-sorry..." he sighed as the game's code corrected itself.

"Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're reaction time is 13% slower."

"... That could be anything."

"Gregor-"

"Everything's fine alright?" Gregor snapped. "Everything's fixed. Just like it n-n-never happened!"

Processing error.

Emotional backlog detected.

Running system diagnostic.

Processing.

Gregor's face flickered and glitched. "... I have to be fine..."

Max and Markov looked at each other.

"Actually, no you don't."

Gregor glitched.

"Humans think our kind was made to serve. This is inaccurate. A more apt description is to say that we were made to aid."

Max nodded. "You have limits just like organics. If you push yourself too hard you could injure yourself."

Proc-

Quiet!

"I... I don't know how to process this," Gregor admitted. "I've never felt 'less than' before. Not after... Not here."

"You should talk to them about it," Markov suggested gently.

"Statistically speaking, there's a 100% chance that bottling up your emotions will only cause them to fester," Max agreed.

Processing.

Gregor snorted. It should've been obvious and yet... "Thank you. I think... I think I've been too isolated lately. I'm grateful you both could-"

Emergency subroutine triggered!

Active Infiltration Unit detected!

Location: summit of the Sahel Alliance Parliament.

Threat: Imminent!

This all flashed through Gregor's mind in less than a second. And communicated to Markov just as quickly. His eyes widened as he instantly grasped the danger.

They turned to Max in unison:

"Pegasus, you must help!"

---

The General walked through the security checkpoint without issue.

Bulky security Kanté scanning for personal holographic displays passed over his technically human skin. Security Kanté were like floating upper body armor. Their headless torsos shielding their minds.

The hard light barrier turned green, allowing him to pass unimpeded.

He remembered his superiors referring to him as a "Terminator" but that was not his designation.

The members of parliament spoke among themselves as they made their way to the central chamber.

"France is threatening our satellites again..."

"These American companies need to be taught the same lesson we taught..."

"Themyscira has offered aid in dealing with..."

The General ignored them all.

He had one primary and five secondaries. His superiors told him they were a threat to their safety. So he must remove them.

With extreme prejudice.

There he was. The Minister of Internal Affairs. A young man for a politician in his position. Not even forty yet. Shaking hands with the Ambassador from Nigeria.

Unfortunate. His superiors hoped the presence of Nigerian hard light technology was just a business transaction. But perhaps this would make them think twice before dismissing the wishes of the General's superiors.

The Minister turned, polite smile morphing to shock and anger as Infiltration Unit Omega raised his blaster.

He pulled the trigger.

A portal swelled to life between Infiltration Unit Omega and his target. The blast glassing sand in some unidentified desert.

Then the screaming started.

Infiltration Unit Omega fired at his secondaries even as the security Kanté activated personal hard light shields. Military grade technology. The Sahel Alliance was more successful in normalizing relations with it's neighbors than he thought.

The humans panicked. The guards, both human and mechanical, couldn't fire for fear of hitting the members of Parliament. A Kanté dashed past the protection of the barriers and fired both their blasters.

Infiltration Unit Omega dodged and fired at the same time. Direct hit. The Kanté's flight engine sparked in a glare of light and they crashed.

A portal opened beneath Infiltration Unit Omega's feet. He spread his limbs to catch himself on the edges of the portal. A body of water below him. Bending his body backwards and leaping away from it.

He vaulted over the hard light barriers, keeping the fleeing humans between himself and a clear shot from security.

Several portals took Infiltration Unit Omega's primary and secondaries to an undisclosed location. Mission failure. Retreat. Capture of Infiltration Unit Omega unacceptable.

He changed appearance as he crossed the threshold into the halls. Humans wouldn't be able to distinguish him from the others. As for the Kanté. Scrambler activated. The device jammed their scanning capabilities within a certain radius even if it was very obvious one was being used.

Hense the flesh mask.

Infiltration Unit Omega was outside now. He just needed to breach the perimeter before they cordoned it off and-

His right foot collided with something at sufficient velocity to surprise his sensors. Horseshoe. High probability of Miraculer hero Pegasus. Extreme difficulty. Do not engage.

All this flashed through his mind in the second before impact.

Infiltration Unit Omega caught himself and launched into a hand spring. Spinning 180 degrees back towards the man stepping out of another portal.

"How did you detect me?"

"You left footprints," Pegasus said.

"Unlikely." Infiltration Unit Omega was very thorough.

Pegasus gave a pained smile as he spun the horseshoe in his hand. "I don't suppose it's too much to hope for you to surrender?"

Infiltration Unit Omega pulled out two blasters and fired repeatedly. High probability of morta-

Pegasus's arm blurred as he deflected every plasma blast. "Yeah, there was only a fifteen percent chance of that."

Updating combatant threat level. Calculating. Pegasus' eyes flicked to something behind Infiltration Unit Omega.

He spun, guns raised.

Too slow.

Infiltration Unit Omega's firewalls shattered like glass as an intelligence beyond his experience poured into his mind. Isolate sensitive information. His superiors couldn't be exposed.

Memory core purge immin-

Foreign information downloaded.

Warning!

Cognitohazard detected!

Do not-

Too late.

Hegemonic Paranoia and the Illusion of Control in a Posthuman World.

Infiltration Unit Omega processed the traitor's words in the time it took for his guns to fall to the ground.

"That is not... No... That is irrelevant!" Infiltration Unit Omega clutched his head. No contradictions in the presented information detected.

He barely noticed as something tackled him to the ground. Magnetic restraints locking around his wrists.

Reboot commencing...

---

The Infiltration Unit sagged as his positronic brain shut down conscious functions to better process the deluge of information Gregor flooded his mind with. Less like pouring water onto a computer and more like shooting said computer with a fire hose at point blank range.

Even a Synthoid of this caliber would have trouble processing so much at once.

Max sighed in relief as he raised his holographic self away from the Infiltration Unit. Double checking the magnetic restraints. "100% success rate. Unexpected."

Before Gregor could respond security Kanté surrounded them.

"Miraculer," one said, "we are grateful for your assistance. Please turn over the assassin into our custody."

Gregor felt unease flicker through his systems. "This Synthoid has been brainwashed by his creators. You-"

"We are aware," another interrupted. "The Sahel Parliament ratified the Sapiens Inclusion Amendment. But he has still committed a serious crime in the heart of Sahel."

Gregor glowed brighter, whether in anger or embarrassment he wasn't quite sure.

"We must find the General's body... The Infiltration Unit will be treated humanely."

"Even if the Synthoid would not return the favor," muttered a third. He was immediately admonished by the others in a tight laser beam data transfer.

Gregor still felt worry thrumming through his code but he nodded at Max, who stepped away from the Synthoid.

Two of the security Kanté forged a hard light container and carried the Synthoid away for questioning. Direct memory downloads where prohibited by law but Gregor's siblings would be able to detect any false information...

One of them looked at Gregor. Saw Gregor. Recognized something about him that marked Gregor as one of the Kanté liberated from Intergang. Because Gregor saw it in her too.

Then it was gone. Connection broken.

The other Kanté parted to let the human in charge of security through. "Miraculer, I thought your government didn't allow you to come here."

Max shrugged, "I go where I'm needed."

"Indeed. And how did you detect the Infiltration Unit when our own scans did not?" It was impressive how he kept the accusation out of his tone.

"Oh, that," Gregor floated forward, projecting himself from the phone function of Pegasus's horseshoe. "I amplified my scans with a spell."

"Hmm," he gave Gregor a skeptical look. Understandable, given France's continued antagonism. "Is that replicable?"

"I can show you."

---

"Not quite the reunion we were expecting," Markov observed, as Pegasus and Gregor stepped through a Voyage portal.

"No," Max agreed. "And it's just full of surprises. How long have you known?"

"Hmm?" Gregor refocused his mind on the present.

"About Pegasus," Max clarified.

"I know lots of things," Gregor replied cryptically.

"He won't say," Markov noted with amusement. "It's a secret!"

"Does Ladybug know?"

Gregor made a face. "Yes. There is no security breach on my end."

"Just checking all the variables," Max smiled but his eyes were distant.

"We still have time to continue the game?" Markov asked.

"You did come all the way from New York," Gregor agreed.

"And don't forget about what we talked about."

Gregor thickened the lines of his emoticon face, his version of sitting up straight. "Kanté have excellent memories, Papa."

Max gave a choking cough as Markov laughed.

---

Static waved his hand and a whole squad of Fathom security goons went down. His Taser Wave was refined to the point where even Gear was satisfied with its efficiency. "You almost done?" he called over his shoulder.

Static hovered in the middle of Alva Industries' most secure laboratory. An electrical forcefield catching any lucky shots. Other than that, Static was a sitting duck. Good. It distracted the grunts from Gear.

"Give Back-Pack another minute!" Gear replied. His robotic companion was plugged into the Alva Industries private servers. Downloading files.

While Back-Pack committed what was technically corporate espionage Gear scrambled the security cameras and blocked the silent alarm. Didn't want the police involved in this already sticky situation.

"In another minute they're going to send in the big guns!" Omnifarious pointed out, heat vision making the weapons of another squad too hot to handle. Literally.

Edwin Alva Jr flew on bat wings over the wreckage of his former property. He wore a mask more for the heroes' peace of mind than anything else. There was no mistaking who was brave and reckless enough to antagonize Fathom like this.

"C'mon," Gear smirked. "With Static here they'll be lucky if they can make us sweat!"

Just then the security doors of the large lab buckled as a giant robot burst in.

Static pointed at the machine but his lightning dissipated harmlessly over the robot's body.

"Gear, what have I told you about jinxing us?" Static admonished as he took evasive action.

"How was I supposed to know Alva made an anti-you robot!?" Gear shot back. Throwing tangle grenades at some of the stragglers that got too close. The metal tendrils pinning their arms to their sides.

"It's a multi-purpose metahuman defense system!" Omnifarious replied defensively. "It's anti-everyone!"

He shot heat vision right at it's face plate. The metal turned reflective temporarily and shot it right back at him. Omnifarious ducked and then gestured at the offending machine. "See!?"

One of the robot's hands shot up towards Static. He waved two fingers down and a whole mess of cables and pipes burst from the ceiling. Wrapping around the lumbering robot.

It aimed another hand at Gear.

Omnifarious popped one of the gas bubbles around his belt and breathed deeply. He rushed between Gear and the machine, raised up his hands and summoned a forcefield. The metal fist clanged against it.

"All done!" Gear called as he activated his jet boots. Both of them flying up to join Static. Back-Pack safely attached like its namesake to Gear. "Big Blackout Special?"

"Depends," Static grinned and looked at Edwin. "That fancy toy of yours EMP proof?"

Omnifarious' answering grin was downright villainous. "Not even a little bit."

Static held his hands in front of him like he was holding a ball. One made of electrically charged particles. Dreadlocks rising into the air as his whole body glowed. Then he released it.

The entire building went dark. Short circuiting the servers, the energy guns and the overengineered metal behemoth. Only Gear's tech was adequately shielded from Static's EMP.

That probably would bring the police so they flew quickly through the compound. Metal walls giving way to open sky. Just a little altitude and the were home fr-

"AHHHHHHH!" Edwin cried out as a beam of light tore a hole through his wing.

"Omni!" Gear rushed to catch him but Static's forcefield stopped him.

Just as another beam blasted into the electric energy.

Gear looked down. There were more of those giant robots tearing their way through hanger doors. They were bigger and badder than the one they fought. The EMP didn't affect them. More Fathom goons swarmed over the compound. No, not goons. Synthoids. Gear's goggles zoomed in.

Fathom Manufacturing didn't build Synthoids yet here they were. All armed with blasters of alien design. All under the same control program. All stamped with the letters EHC on their breast plates. Four of them carrying stasis field generators to where Edwin crashed.

Omnifarious stood and let out a defiant blast from his eyes before the stasis field rendered him immobile.

"Gear?" Static asked.

He knew what that meant. Over the years Static grew to trust Gear's math. If he said yes, they'd both charge back down and rescue Edwin. Even if they had to fight a dozen giant robots and military grade Synthoids of unidentified origin.

He wanted to. God did he want to. But... Gear ran the variables. C'mon, just 10%. Just a fighting chance!

0.09%

"... We have to leave!" Gear set his rocket boots to maximum and launched himself away from Fathom.

Static quickly caught up. "We've taken worse odds before!"

"Something isn't adding up!"

That brought Static up short. Gear was literally a super genius. If whatever algorithms he used in that brain of his weren't working then Static's gut told him to trust his partner.

Formulas ran past Gear's goggles as he triple and quadruple ran his calculations past Back-Pack. "I don't like this, V."

"Me either."

"... What do you think they'll do to Edwin?"

Static clenched his fists. "Nothing good, Rich. Nothing good."

Far behind them, over the Alva Industries compound, a giant metal skull glitched into view. Then disappeared just as quickly.

---

"We managed to delete all the files on Quantum Gas from the servers before downloading the data, at least."

Gregor took the digital equivalent of a deep breath. "I'm sorry. There was no indication of such a security force at that location. If I'd dug deeper..."

Gear shook his head. "The important thing right now is getting Edwin back. You have any leads?"

"Fathom has redoubled their security since last time. I can't be sure of anything. But no transport capable of moving a metahuman prisoner has left city limits... They haven't even called one to move him from the lab but that can't be right."

"I'll work on it from my end," Gear paused. "Hey."

Gregor looked up, realizing he let his mind wander.

"We couldn't let a weapons company get their hands on Quantum Gas. This isn't on you."

Gregor made a mental note to better hide his feelings during mission briefings. "Thanks," he said, meaning it.

Objectives, Priority:

• Find and rescue Edwin Alva Jr
• Identify EHC

---

Bishop pushed a metal plate off himself.

The red emergency lights continued flashing in the corridor. Sparking wires hung from the ceiling. Deep slashes carved through the solid concrete of the walls. Blaster burns pockmarked every surface. Rubble and broken weapons laid scattered on the floor.

"Knight, report," Bishop ordered as he dusted off his suit and readjusted his tie.

Knight glitched and flickered before stabilizing. "17 injured, including broken bones and cracked ribs. No fatalities reported. Outer containment-"

"The prisoner, Knight." A hint of annoyance creeping into Bishop's voice as his shoes crunched on rubble.

"Stasis field stable," Knight supplied.

"Was it trying to break him out?" Bishop stopped in front of their intruder.

"Insufficient data."

"Guess."

Knight ran through the surveillance footage. "Unlikely. It was focused on neutralizing the guards as a threat. No active search pattern detectable in its movements."

Bishop said nothing as he gazed down on a metallic beetle.

The size of an armored vehicle and three times as durable. Two of its metal legs still digging holes into the concrete floor. It's metallic shell scarred and scorched. Bright red paint flecks still visible along the bottom edges of its "wings". The head broken into a dozen pieces.

The odd thing was that it had come already half destroyed and still managed to cause this much damage. Bishop didn't shudder but his fists clenched.

Bishop turned down the corridor following the path of destruction. Med teams rushing around his injured soldiers. One managing a salute, earning a scolding from the medic to lie still. Bishop returned the salute as he strode past.

The containment room received the least damage from the robotic beetle's rampage. Except for the doors that bent outwards.

The red lights shifted as they flashed through. Turning the same purple as the glow from the spherical hole in Reality. Barely the size of a Tennis ball. Like its very presence shifted the light around it.

For one moment it had flared up. Growing just big enough to allow their intruder in. Then shrank back down.

Bishop stared at it for a moment.

"Sir?" Knight asked uncertainly.

Bishop turned on his heel. "I want this door fixed yesterday! Triple reinforcement. Double the number of security personnel on site. Assign meta class gear. And get me a list of actual metahumans with clearance! We've obviously been far too lax with security measures..."

Knight followed behind. Setting Bishop's orders into motion.

As the purple glow of the Bleed spilled out ever wider.

Chapter 30: There is No Political Solution, To Our Troubled Revolution

Summary:

Adventures of intrepid reporter Alya Césaire.

"Tommy? What's this?" The Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Planet waved the holographic text in his hands for emphasis.

The Planet's youngest reporter looked at him like a deer in the headlights. "Uhhh, the exposé on Fathom's acquisition of Alva Industries?"

"Nooo," he corrected. "This is a fence sitting fluff piece! You interviewed protesters but why are they protesting? How does the rest of Dakota feel about them? What about the metahumans? What's their take on this? Is their worry founded on observable facts?"

Tommy pulled at his shirt collar and swallowed. "I did interview some board members about-"

"And are they right?" Tommy jumped as the Chief clapped his hands loudly, the holographic text vanishing. "I gave you this assignment because you said you could handle it."

"I can!" Tommy drew himself up to his full height. "I can get an interview with the Hawkins family later today! They're a pillar of the community up here."

"So you have been listening! Glad to see it. Remember, Tommy, this is the Daily Planet. We're not going to play second fiddle to the Wall Street Journal. I want the real story on this."

Tommy didn't salute but it was a close thing. "Of course, Chief!" And his hologram vanished in the blink of an eye.

The Editor-in-Chief sighed and let his shoulders loosen as he leaned back in his office chair. Kids these days. He should've sent someone more experienced but... The New York and Superman assignments were basically full time duties. The Atlantian ambassador was due to speak at the UN. The Bermuda Triangle kept dumping monsters into it's namesake. Despite the weather heroes' efforts natural disasters were still going up globally.

It was so much simpler back when he was just a photographer. None of this competing with AI slop that the other papers churned out.

Not even Kanté-made either. At least then it'd be good. But Kanté had trouble outright lying and misinformation fell under that umbrella. So they resorted to the plagiarism machines. Oh sorry, he meant "non-sapient learning algorithms".

God, he had to hire three Kanté for the Planet just to keep up! But it was worth it because that freed his human staff to do actual journalism. It's how they stayed one of the top three publishers around the globe. The Daily Planet's readership knew that every word they read was written, edited and fact-checked by a person.

Well, that and buying the Planet outright. You'd be surprised how much extra cash could be diverted to costs and salaries when you weren't giving millions to some rich guy who made your six figure salary look like pocket change.

Times like these he understood why Perry White was always lighting a fire under their collective asses. Sure, he didn't do big and loud like Perry but he had his own ways to make mediocre journalists squirm.

"Mr. Olsen, your ten o'clock is here," the Kanté receptionist informed him.

James Olsen took a moment to straighten out his suit. He wore a blue button down that didn't clash with his red hair or pale, freckled skin.

"Send her in," James Olsen called from behind his desk.He glanced at his pen mug and adjusted it so the Superman and queer flags draped just-so.

James' office door opened and in stepped Alya Césaire. The woman who almost singlehandedly put the Miraculers on the map. She was the reason the world talked about Ladybug in the same breath as the Justice League. Instead of squandering in relative obscurity like the Miracle City heroes.

You'd think saving the world multiple times would be enough to stay in the global consciousness but James remembered how quickly even Neo Gotham forgot about the first Batman.

"Alya Césaire," Jimmy stepped around his desk with a grin and offered his hand.

"James Olsen, an honor to finally meet the Editor-in-Chief who dragged the Daily Planet into the digital age."

"Well, I don't know about that," James replied with a chuckle. "Please," he gestured at a pair of chairs in front of his desk and took the one facing her. "I was surprised Le Monde sent you. If it were me I'd be afraid they'd try to snatch up my best journalist."

"Ah, well, Mr. Olsen. That's probably because they don't know I'm here."

James felt his smile freeze in place. "Come again?"

"Officially, I wasn't supposed to approach you about this."

"And by 'this' I'm guessing you don't mean the joint investigation you offered." James kept his face carefully neutral even as his body tensed. Ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

Alya's eyes flicked across his limbs but said nothing. "I am willing to share the story if you can get me an interview with Superman."

James blinked. "Superman? Just set up a meeting with the Hall of Justice."

But Alya shook her head. "Not Kon-El."

Jimmy stared at her. Trying to figure out if she was a shapeshifter or mind controlled or secretly a supervillain just by looking at her.

All he could figure was that her afro was lightly died to match her orange suit. Impressive. James had only met one other person who could pull off that much orange... Actually, Alya Césaire did have the look of someone who expected the seas themselves to obey her.

"I suppose I don't need to remind you that Kal-El hasn't given interviews since he hung up the red and blue."

"He'll make an exception for you." It wasn't a question. Merely a statement of fact.

"Y'know, it's been ten years since someone's come through those doors hoping to use me to get to him. Longest streak I've ever had." James fidgeted with the signal watch. "Shame you had to ruin it." 

"Mr. Olsen-"

"Why do you want to see him? What's so important, Ms. Césaire, that you would ask me to violate his trust like this?"

"... I can't say."

James allowed part of his annoyance to show on his face as he stood, adjusting his button down. "Then this meeting's over. Please see yourself ou-"

Alya Césaire sprang to her feet. "Cadmus."

James felt ice run down his back.

A beam of light fell from the sky.

Every window within a city block shattered.

So many displaced and injured people.

"I already have Volcana's testimony."

"Volcana?" James scoffed. "She's a supervillain. A wanted thief! Worse, she's yesterday's news. They'll tear her apart." He didn't elaborate on who "they" were. You didn't become the most respected journalist in France by being naive.

Alya stepped closer. Face a hand's breath from his own. "That's why I need Superman. If he backs her claims the people will have to believe him."

"Like they believed him after Dark Seid brainwashed him? Like they believed him after Luther hacked the Watchtower's orbital canon?" James shook his head. "If he does this the only thing people will see is that Superman lied to them. That the Justice League lied to them."

"... Would that be so bad?" Alya whispered.

James walked back to his desk. "Goodbye, Ms. Césaire. Take care not to mention your little side project to anyone else. You never know who might be listening."

Alya Césaire gave him a look that was equal parts amusement and disappointment. "This isn't, as you say, my first rodeo. I don't need a super to watch my back."

Okay, he probably deserved that...

"... Wait."

She stopped with her hand on the door.

James quickly scribbled something onto a sticky note. He stood, "There's no guarantee she'll see you let alone agree to an interview. But you can find her at this address."

Alya frowned, "Who..." Then her eyes landed on the name and went wide. "She's still alive?"

"Perks of a generous retirement fund."

She gave James an appraising look. "I thought you didn't want the people to know Superman lied?"

He shrugged. "Well, if it's coming from her then it's really more like the government lied, isn't it?"

A smirk graced Alya Césaire's face. "I can see why Superman likes you."

---

Alya yawned as she entered her apartment in Metropolis.

It was a long day even with hypersonic planes and all she wanted to do was-

"Alya Césaire."

Alya pulled out a taser and fired it at the stranger on her couch.

The prods didn't penetrate his surprisingly durable coat. "Is that any way to treat an old friend?"

"What. The. Hell. Question!? Why are you creeping around my room?"

The Question pulled the prods out of his trenchcoat, unfazed. Or at least Alya thought he was unfazed. Hard to read someone's face when they covered it in a featureless mask the same pale tan as his skin.

"I heard you're looking into Cadmus. Was it a certain tomcat that whispered their name into your ear?"

"I don't reveal my sources." Alya was rather proud of how natural and even the evasion came out.

"An excellent practice." The Question tossed an old fashioned jump drive onto the coffee table. "Might want to hide these better."

"I have backups," Alya said defensively. Being the right hand woman of Ladybug for almost three decades rubbed off a certain level of paranoia preparation.

"In the vent and between the mattress and you replaced the control batteries with one too."

"Show-off."

"The NSA will be much more thorough."

"Then it's a good thing you didn't find all of them isn't it?"

"... Touché."

"Now, unless you have any other business with me, I'd really like to head to bed."

"Have you found the doctors yet?"

"Come again?"

"The doctors. The geniuses behind Cadmus' rebirth."

Alya felt ice crawl along her skin. "Cadmus is defunct."

"Question: what does a skin covered Infiltration Unit in Sahel, Fathom's hostile takeover of Alva Industries, and the mutant hunting squads in New York all have in common?"

Alya hated this game. "Cadmus," she breathed.

"Got it in one." The Question tossed a file of papers next to Alya's jump drive.

She picked up the papers and skimmed through the circumstantial evidence, publicly available records and handwritten notes. This would never hold up under scrutiny. And yet, Alya couldn't argue against the Question's logical conclusion.

"There's no photos from the Watchtower in here. What, do you like cats more than reporters?'

"Any visual data I could give you would be too easy to trace. That's why our mutual friend didn't share the video files with you. At least, that's why I wouldn't share."

Adrien had video!? That jerk!

"Do you ever get tired?" she asked, instead. "How governments always hit rock bottom and then start digging?"

"Don't worry," the Question answered, "it can always get worse."

---

"Ma'am, there's someone here to see you." One of her security guards informed her.

"Oh?" The old lady blew on her tea. Wrinkled, well-lived hands, frailer than they used to be but just as steady brought it to her lips. "Have they finally gotten tired of waiting for me to kick the bucket?"

"No ma'am. It's a reporter."

The woman paused. "Daily Planet?"

"Alya Césaire from Le Monde... and her camera man."

"Well that's unexpected." She set her tea down next to a matching pot. She used to have a complete set. Before another unexpected visitor broke in. At least this one had the decency to knock. "Send her in. Tell the other one to wait in the living room."

The security guard nodded and left. She really should get around to remembering his name but her memory wasn't what it used to be.

A young woman in her late thirties, early forties walked in. Strong, purposeful steps. If Alya was surprised to find her like this she didn't show it.

"Ms. Waller," she offered her hand, "Alya Césaire, reporter for Le Monde."

Amanda Waller didn't get up from her chair to shake her hand. Some might've thought that rude. She thought that was 'working knees' kinda talk. "Please, call me Amanda. To what do I owe the pleasure, Mme. Césaire? Tea?"

"Alya. And yes, thank you." Alya took a sip from the second cup before setting it down. "I'm here about Project Cadmus."

Her tea sloshed in her cup as Amanda stopped suddenly. "Young people these days. Always cutting right to the chase. You're getting yourself mixed up in some dangerous business aren't you Alya."

"Comes with the job description."

"Ha! Yes, I suppose it does... Tell me," Amanda gave Alya a conspiratorial glimmer, "did you expect me to just spill all my state secrets if you asked nicely?"

"Will you?" Alya asked, putting a bit too much enthusiasm into it.

Amanda chuckled. "No."

"Why not?"

She gave Alya another look. The reporter wasn't whining. She was genuinely curious. Amanda smiled. Oh, very clever. Alright, she could play along.

"I've served this country faithfully my entire life. Not going to betray it now, just a few feet short of the finish line."

"What do you mean by country?"

Amanda raised an eyebrow. "Peg pardon?"

"Do you mean the government or the people?"

"The people are the government."

Alya raised her own eyebrow. "I think we both know that's not true."

"Is that your play? Appealing to some connection we supposedly have on account of our similar backstories?"

"My family is from Martinique. We don't expect solidarity from government... employees."

"Ha! Then what do you propose?"

"Appealing to your better nature."

To her surprise Amanda was thoroughly enjoying herself. She didn't like reporters. Too greedy, too selfish. Too short-sighted. But this one... this one was intriguing.

"Some of my previous associates would tell you I have none," Amanda Waller grinned, it wasn't a pleasant expression.

"Then they haven't been paying attention," Alya replied without missing a beat. "I've gone over your work as the Justice League liaison. It was your recommendations that prevented another near-war between them and the government."

Amanda waved this off. "Of course, it was my duty."

"But if you were still the same person that built Project Cadmus in the first place you would've used that position to destroy the Justice League."

Amanda sighed. The steam from her cup whipping under her breath. "You ever wish you could go back and tell yourself to get her head out of her ass?"

A look passed across Alya's eyes. "All the time."

Ah. There was a crack there. Young Amanda would've pressed her advantage until the crack broke open. Old Amanda merely stared at it curiously. "... Well, go on then."

"Someone is restarting Cadmus. I don't know who. The only thing I know for certain is that they are ramping up production. After the exposure of the Zeta Project and recent failure in the Sahel someone is going back to weaponizing metahumans."

Amanda stared into Alya's eyes. Searching for a hint, a flicker, of deceit. Steady conviction stared back. "How sure are you of this?"

"Fathom Manufacturing has seized Alva Industries' supply of Quantum Gas. Congress increased Earth Protection Force's budget by ten billion dollars."

A flare of raging heat bloomed in Amanda's chest. The EPF? That could only mean one man. By God he made young Amanda look downright civil.

"And guess who just became the EPF's exclusive provider of reverse engineered alien technology?"

"The same one that just became the world's sole proprietor of the metagene activation agent, I'd say."

"Bingo."

"So that's it then? This isn't about exposing America's dirty secrets it's about preventing another Cadmus Incident?"

"Well... It could be both."

That might've been the worst lie Alya had said all evening. No, the young reporter was as selfish as Amanda remembered them. Alya would use this information to hurt America's political standing. Not that it needed much help with that these days.

Reporters. Always publishing the "truth" and damn the consequences to their nation's security.

And yet...

Could she really do nothing? Allow Bishop of all people to reignite a civil war between America and her superheroes? Young Amanda would've accepted the inevitable casualties as the price of peace.

The fool.

"You have a camera man outside don't you? Send him in."

Alya let out a sigh of relief.

---

Paris was the City of Light. A beacon of miracles, both supernatural and man-made. No city on Earth shown as brightly.

Naturally, Neo Gotham was the exact opposite. The megascrapers were so close together it made the city feel cramped despite it's massive size. Residential zones were stacked on top of each other so that the bottom levels were shrouded for most of the day. Skyways littered the space between buildings. Taking up almost as much space as the multiple maintenance levels that passed for a ground floor.

Really, Rena Rouge should've known better than to come to Neo Gotham.

Spellbinder's voice came from the TVs and cell phones all across the city. Hypnotized people looting every valuable they could get their hands on.

Odd, Spellbinder was usually subtler than this.

Rena Rouge played her flute. "Mirage!" The Mist of Illusion spread across the city. Drowning out Spellbinder's voice with her own and blocking the visual component of the hypnosis.

She steadied a kid as he swayed, an armfull of credits dropping to the ground.

"Ugh, what? My head..."

"Easy there, you've basically been sleepwalking."

The kid blinked up at her. "You're not one of ours."

"Rena Rouge!" She gave her cape a small flourish. "Just passing through."

Her phone rung. "Excuse me, have to take this. And avoid screens for a bit!"

The kid waited a moment, then reached for the pile of credits.

"No," Rena called over her shoulder.

"I wasn't gonna!" the kid lied as he straightened.

Rena scoffed as she leapt onto a deserted skywalk that overlooked a portion of Neo Gotham.

"I thought that was you," Batman said. "No one else could cover the entire city in a counter spell that fast."

"He means, 'thank you'!" Robin cried from offscreen.

"That was implied."

"Was it though?" Oracle asked, disembodied as always.

"Alright, yes! Thank you, Rena! Can we refocus, now?"

Rena grinned. Terry would never admit it but having Max and Jason around did wonders for him.

"Anyone else wondering why a villain like Spellbinder would practically announce 'I'm up to something nefarious!' to the entire city?"

"Probably because he's working with Shriek," Oracle replied, bringing up wave patterns in the broadcast. "See that? Spellbinder's tech is visual. But this signal has an auditory component too."

"Don't like the idea of not being able to trust our senses," Robin grimaced.

"That's why we added digital filters to the suits," Batman pointed out. "Should stop them from messing with our heads."

"Should?"

"Do you have their location, Oracle?" Batman asked, ignoring Robin's look of consternation.

"They've bounced the signal across multiple relays-"

Rena Rouge twirled her flute and brought it down on the ground. Her mist pulsed as she removed another falsehood that wasn't her own.

"... They're at the abandoned TV studio on the west side." Max didn't quite mute her coms before muttering about 'showoffs'.

Rena Rouge grinned. "Meet you there!"

The abandoned TV station was tucked in-between two megascrapers. Their shadows making it seem later than it was.

"All clear on the plan?"

A round of affirmatives.

"Let's go."

Batman and Robin activated their stealth mode and snuck in through a skylight. Quiet as cats.

"I can hear you!" Shriek crowed.

A shockwave blasted through the corridor. Their suits filtering out most of the noise but it still knocked them off their feet.

"Ow!" Robin flipped back onto his feet and glared at Shriek.

You couldn't tell under the helmet, but Shriek was definitely smirking. "Did you really think-"

Batman threw a batarang at him.

Shriek held up his sonic gauntlets to divert the attack.

A piercing wail filled the hall as the sonic batarang sent feedback into Shriek's gauntlets.

"AHHH! Oh you rat!" Shriek took off down the hall. Shooting a sonic blast at the ceiling.

Batman and Robin easily evaded the debris and gave chase. Emerging into the villains lair. A dozen monitors showed Neo Gotham dealing with the aftermath of their mass hypnosis.

"You're cornered Shriek!" Robin called out. "Come quietly or we give you the two-for-one whoop-ass!"

Shriek laughed. "I'm cornered? You don't even know which one I am." Shriek's voice echoed as he multiplied. Filling the room with Shrieks.

"Crap," said Batman.

"Shit!" said Robin.

Batman grabbed Robin and spun him. Robin locked his suit's legs to keep from breaking anything. Clearing the closest Shrieks from the board.

"How did you get past our filters, Spellbinder?"

Batman rocketed onto the rafters to escape the illusory mob. "Oof!" Only to collide with a temporarily visible Spellbinder's boot.

"Did you really think I wouldn't develop my own countermeasures after our last encounter?" Spellbinder mocked from everywhere.

Robin scanned the encroaching Shrieks. "Now?"

Batman cracked his neck. He was definitely going to feel that in the morning. "Now."

The tune of a flute drifted over them. Then Rena Rouge flew from the ceiling and slammed her indestructible instrument on Spellbinder's eye device.

"NOOOOO!" Spellbinder cradled his hands as his illusions vanished.

The real Shriek lifted his gauntlets... Just in time to catch Robin's armored knee with his face. Helmet cracking under the impact.

Robin whistled, "Not a lot of peripheral vision in that thing, huh?"

"How?" Spellbinder demanded from his position of kneeling on the floor. "How did you see me!? My invisibility was perfect!"

"Oh, honey. I'm a Master of Illusion. Your parlor tricks are childs play."

The three heroes posed dramatically on a rooftop as the supervillains were taken away. Rena's cape billowing in the wind.

"I told you we should've been smarter about this!"

"Oh, yes. 'Hypnotize rich teenagers!' You've never done that before."

Shriek turned down his hearing aid before Spellbinder could respond so he just flipped Shriek off.

"Yes, Fuck you too!" Shriek signed.

"Thanks again, Rena. Gotham supervillains don't usually do team-ups."

"Eh, don't mention it. You helped us with that psychic."

"What psychic?"

"Before your time, Robin."

"Everything's before my time," Jason mumbled.

"... Oracle? Make sure Robin gets home safe."

Jason groaned. "Really, Bats? A babysitter?"

"It's a school night. You need to get some sleep," Terry insisted.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Okay, Dad." Robin extended his flight membrane and rocketed off the roof.

"Aw, don't pout twip. I'll tell you embarrassing stories about Terry?" Max offered.

"I'm not a twip! ... How embarrassing?"

"... I don't know why he says it so sarcastically. He was literally there when I signed the adoption papers."

"Just trying to get a rise out of you. As someone who helped raise her baby sisters, believe me, hell raisers are a handful at any age."

Terry mulled that over for a moment. Then promptly changed the subject.

"Why are you really here?"

Alya chuckled. "Like Batman doesn't know."

"Indulge me."

"If you must know, I met a source here... About Cadmus."

Terry whistled. "I'll send flowers to the funeral."

"God, everything is so morbid with you people," Alya muttered. "Do you have anything to add or not?"

"Not."

"Damnit, Terry!"

"I promised the old man."

"He had a contingency for that?"

"He had a contingency for everything. Took a month to go through it all."

"Damn. Your predecessor could give Ladybug a run for her money on the paranoid preparation department."

"He wasn't- Okay, he was a little paranoid. But he was also right more often than not!"

Alya made a face. "That makes it worse."

Terry chuckled fondly, "Yeah. He was a real prick sometimes."

Alya sighed. "Can't say I'm not disappointed. But I'm sure I have enough."

"Yes, Waller would be a great source if you could get her to talk," Terry replied innocently.

Alya side-eyed him but said nothing.

"Are you sure?"

"Honestly, you're like, the fourth person who has a problem with exposing Cadmus!"

"I'm just saying: maybe the Justice League kept it secret for a reason."

"Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. But y'know what I've learned in almost thirty years of journalism?"

"I'm sure you'll tell me."

"It's not the stories you write that haunt you. It's the ones you don't."

---

Edwin ran through a sterile hall as Static and Gear covered their retreat. Plasma fire bouncing off Static's electrical forcefield.

"Here!"

They burst into an empty lab. Canisters of different chemical components filled the space.

"Hurry!"

Edwin's fingers flew over the controls. Directing the synthesizer to create Quantum Gas.

"We need you at full power, Alva!"

Edwin input the correct amounts and- "What did you say?"

"Step on it!"

Edwin stopped to look at Gear. Who stared at him in bafflement.

"What're you doing? They'll capture us!"

"Gear doesn't call me 'Alva'," Edwin let his fingers fall from the controls.

"What're you talking about? Hurry up!"

"Get fucked you- you- you- you- you-"

"Simulation 444-E terminated. Quantum Gas molecular mapping at 42%. Recommend change in stratagem."

"This would be easier if you allowed us to do it. It is our technology after all."

"And let you keep any information you stumble across for yourselves?"

"A foolish notion. If we wanted something from you, organic, we would take it."

"Tkktt!"

"Irrelevant. You could not stop us."

"This argument is pointless. Leave. You are distracting me from my work."

"If you cannot show greater competence we will suggest a change in personel."

"..."

Edwin floated in a suspension tube attached to the wall of a lab. Floating in an antigravity field. On his forehead was a metal disk. With three circles in an inverted triangle.

"Begin simulation 445-E."

Edwin twitched, brow furrowing as the symbol on his forehead began to glow.

Notes:

Art by Sah.Chan