Post-Reveal

Chapter Seven

"I'm all out of ideas," Chat Noir muttered to Ladybug.

Ladybug glanced around. Normally, she would use her Lucky Charm now, but she had used it to defeat Papillon's Akumatized victim, Mediman.

"Me, too," she whispered back. Papillon was simply unapproachable. In fact, he sent out Akuma after Akuma to target the weak and upset citizens of Paris, and they all flew to the room at a moment's notice to fight against Ladybug and Chat Noir.

They battled their way through each victim, freeing the Akumas arduously slowly. Ladybug started to panic. She had one minute left and twelve villains to defeat.

"Chat Noir, there's no time!" she hissed. "I'm not going to make it!"

She expected him to say that they should give up and save this battle for another day, or maybe that she should go recharge Tikki's batteries while he delayed Papillon. Instead, he let out a frustrated groan and threw his staff like a boomerang. It gyrated rapidly, hitting nine of the twelve Akumatized villains. The others backed away immediately. Chat Noir took advantage of the temporary paralysis he had caused and bounded towards Papillon, snatching the butterfly brooch off his suit.

"NO!" Papillon's purple suit disappeared, as did the Akumas circulating around the room. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

Ladybug gestured for the de-Akumatized civilians to leave immediately. They all complied without hesitation.

Gabriel Agreste's face was fixed with fury. "Give me my brooch."

"No." Chat Noir held it close, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"We have to free Nuru!" Ladybug persisted.

"You're about to detransform!"

"We have the brooch. It's best if we have the guidance of our kwamis anyway." Ladybug ran for Adrien's room.

Gabriel Agreste looked incredibly conflicted, probably because he didn't want to run, but he did want that brooch back. He settled for power-walking after Ladybug. With a regretful glance, Chat Noir sprinted for his room on all fours. He slid into his room and shut the door behind him, which locked with a click. Plagg was ejected from the ring. Ladybug was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Marinette and Tikki were sitting on the floor, looking pretty exhausted.

"Do you have it?" Marinette managed.

"Yes, it's right here." Adrien joined Marinette on the floor and pinned the brooch to his jacket.

A flash of purple energy accentuated Nuru's entrance. He gasped and shook his head.

"You shouldn't have done that," Nuru warned. "The Miraculous are meant to be given, not stolen."

"Nuru, with each day my father abuses your power, Paris is put in more danger. It was all we could do," Adrien insisted.

"Yes, well... sadly, I can't grant you any powers, because the brooch wasn't given to you. But-"

"What, was the brooch rightfully given to Monsieur Agreste? Somehow, I find that hard to believe," Marinette scoffed.

"And anyway, we don't need your powers. We have our own kwamis," Adrien said proudly.

Plagg winked at Nuru, who gulped.

"This won't last long. Fate won't allow it. There's only one person who can free me."

"Qui ça?" Marinette and Adrien asked in unison.

"Well, I... I don't know," Nuru confessed. "Her name's Volpina, though."