"Who's there?!"
Her demand echoed between the pillars—from one side of the abandoned warehouse to the other. But the only response was the repeating rebound of her own words.
Someone was there—she could feel them.
"There's no use hiding," she growled, pushing herself away from the wall. Reaching up, she wrapped her gloved hand around the chain dangling from her neck, her hyper-sensitive hearing taking in any and all sounds.
The drip, drip of a leaking roof; the dusting of her light steps upon the chipping concrete. The whistle of wind between the supports, rattling the chains that hung loosely from the ceiling. The glass that would normally have let in the day was fogged with age, giving the whole room a bluish-green tinge that glowed when the light managed to break through the layers of grime.
Stumbling, she cringed, catching herself on a nearby beam. Huffing, she took a moment to catch her breath, gripping her necklace a little tighter. It throbbed in her hand, sending buzzing waves through her whole body. It was a comforting sensation—the power. Knowing it was there.
It kept the demons away.
"You can't hide forever!" she yelled, once more stumbling forward. With her free hand, she reached back and grabbed her flute, not caring as the end dragged against the ground. "I can sense your fear!"
Pushing past a chain that dangled in her way, she scowled at the vast opening in the room, ignited by the vague light. It was her least favorite part of the warehouse—so bare and exposed. Of course it would be the place her enemies would wait for her. Where she was most vulnerable. She much preferred the maze of supports and chains. So much safer and more obstructive.
Still, she couldn't allow herself to remain the stalked prey of some incompetent superhero wannabe. Even if it was risky, she had to go out into the open.
She had a job to do.
Still gripping her necklace, she dragged herself warily into the glare of the dim light, focus darting around frantically as she searched. A shadow, a flash of red. Yellow even. She knew she'd be betrayed eventually. It was only a matter of time.
She trusted only one—the only one who truly believed in her.
He wouldn't betray her as others had—Ladybug, her parents, Adrien. They were all worthless.
"Come out!" she screamed. "I can sense your fear everywhere! You can't hi-"
Something splashed and she yanked her flute up defensively, hunched and ready.
Yet, nothing came.
Grinding her teeth in frustration, she dropped her arm, once more allowing her flute to bang against the concrete.
Another splash.
Looking quickly down, she realized there was a puddle. The result of the leak, no doubt. She was standing in it, the water rippling out around her feet.
But that was hardly what drew her attention.
"I found you," she hissed. With a clatter, her flute fell and rolled a bit to the side, forgotten as she dropped down onto all fours. Her hands splashed violently into the puddle, sending water spraying as the face beneath her wavered.
No, she couldn't let them escape. She had to stay calm.
"You can't escape me," she whispered, watching the ripples slowly dye down to reveal who was there. A young woman with long, brown hair dipped in white. It was tied in two tails along her cheeks, but the elastic that held it was disrupted, the hair bunching and sticking out erratically. Her tanned skin was splotchy, one side of her face splashed with mud.
