Gotham's Own Ladybug

Twenty-Two

"Well, well, well..." a voice crooned. "If it isn't my Purrincess with a bunch of boys."

Marinette panted, her arms and pupils trembling as she inched back in trepidation. Damian - catching the action out of the corner of his vision - moved to stand protectively in front of her.

The figure leapt down onto the ground, landing with no semblance of noise in a crouch. Stray lights at the walls of the warehouse provided the ability to take in his leather outfit, that melded with the shadows and night.

Chat Noir slowly tilted his head up to meet Ladybug's gaze, yet a glint of something dangerous flashed in them when noticing Robin close by. He grinned, and it gave them a view of his pointed teeth.

"Looks like you've made some friends while I've been away, Princess," he mused aloud. "But that doesn't matter. It'll just make it all the more satisfying when I finally get my paws on you."

The girl shivered, before she watched as he stood up and pulled out his silver baton. Damian turned slightly to whisper, "Angel, get out of here. We'll deal with him."

"You can't, he's too strong," she denied, tears of both frustration and fear welling up in her eyes. "He's already murdered someone without regret. Who says he won't kill you guys as well?"

He bit his lip, then said after a moment of hesitation, "Fine. Just- be careful."

She nodded in understanding, and walked to his side to get into an offensive stance against Adrien. Said person smirked, and split his staff into two halves. He twirled them about with nimble fingers, as everyone else charged forward.

Nightwing went in for a hit with his escrima sticks, that were flowing with volts of electricity. However, Chat's weapon blocked the attack, and turned them back into him.

A bo-staff knocked them out of the way, and the model growled beneath his breath. He grabbed an arm, one he didn't know the owner of, by the elbow and hurled it several metres away.

The cat ears atop his head flicked to the side as he heard an all too familiar tune. He snapped his gaze to the source, only to see Marinette wearing a mixture of fox and ladybird whilst she blew through an orange flute.

"Mirage!"

White covered everyone's sight. Then, after a few seconds, it died down to reveal dozens of copies of the vigilantes in the room. Robin rose a brow, but nonetheless copied their positions like his brothers.

Chat Noir grit his teeth, as he rushed to attach the ends of his baton into one and extend it. He swung in a wide arc, causing the illusions to scatter and a few to disappear out of existence.

There was a sting at his stomach, and he winced as an instinct. Emerald eyes whipped to the gun that had shot the rubber bullet, which was held by Red Hood. He clenched his fists and lunged for the man, only for him to change into dust on impact.

Adrien scanned the foes he was fighting, before springing up and onto a section of roof that hadn't been disintegrated. Consecutive beeps began to emanate from the ring around one of his fingers, and a growl bubbled in his throat at the noise. He tapped a claw at his mess of wild blond locks, and a golden circlet formed there.

From behind a mist of magic nearby, Marinette sucked in a breath when seeing the Monkey miraculous. She watched as Xuppu materialised out of thin air, and glanced about with a look of sadness. His ears perked up with a burst of hope as he made eye contact with her.

"Xuppu, show-"

Chat Noir's exclamation was cut off by the harsh kick on his back from nowhere, that sent him careening straight through LadyFox's illusional cover. She grunted from the force, and scrambled to stand up. However, the sharp hand gripping her ankle prevented her from doing so.