Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“As you know, while he was locked away in London by his father, Adrien’s nightmares of being Akumatized and destroying the world caused him to send Plagg away with his ring to Ladybug in fear.”

“But what would have happened if he sent his Miraculous to someone else…?”

“I’m not in my right mind,” Adrien told Plagg, “I’m too angry – at myself for falling short of Marinette’s love, at my father for sending me here in London, at this stupid app and these rings that use my image… it makes me sick! This nightmare is giving me the horrible feeling that, if I transform, I’ll get Akumatized and destroy everything with my Cataclysm – Marinette, Ladybug…”

He took off his ring and handed it to Plagg.

“Surely Ladybug can help you.”

“If I ask her for help, I’d have to give her information that would jeopardise my secret identity… and I can’t.”

Plagg grabs the ring, trying to think of a way to help his friend and comes up with a desperate plan, “What if I gave my Miraculous to someone else to break you out?”

“Who? Who could we trust to help me?”

“Someone in the same position…”

Kagami was in her cell making a poor impersonation of a room when a Kwami came out of the vent.

“What?...”

“I’m Chat Noir’s Kwami, Plagg. He sent me here to help you and Adrien escape.”

She looked around in alarm, knowing she was been watched.

“Relax, Kwamis can’t be seen or heard by technology. You’re probably thinking, ‘Why isn’t Chat Noir here himself?’ Well, for reasons I can’t explain, he would jeopardise his identity if he did, so he can only help you by loaning you my Miraculous. You in?”

Kagami nodded and took the ring.

“Plagg, claws out!”

“What?!” Gabriel and Tomoe gasped.

“How did she get the Black Cat ring?!” Gabriel demanded.

“What is she doing?!” Tomoe asked as she heard the sounds of fighting.

“She’s heading to Adrien’s room!”

Using the Black Cat Miraculous, Kagami broke Adrien’s door down, “I’m Kuro Neko, and I’m here to save you!”

“Umm… thanks and all, but that name is taken.”

“It is?”

“Yeah, by a Sentimonster.”

Kagami shook her head, “Never mind, I’ll come up with another name later.”

She grabbed his hand and dragged him down the corridor.

“She’s talking him to the exit!” Gabriel said.

“Stop them!”

“I am!”

Try harder!”

I can’t without hurting them!”

Black Cat Kagami and Adrien made their way to the exit only to find robots blocking the way.

“Kagami! Adrien! Stop this foolishness!” Gabriel’s voice came out of the robots.

“We’re doing this for your own good!” Tomoe added.

“None of this was for us!” Black Cat Kagami said, “It was about you! Always has been.”

“We would rather die than stay here!” Adrien said in agreement.

“Ungrateful children!” Tomoe said, “You will–”

The door was knocked down from the other side, flattening the robots.

“Need a hand?” Argos said from atop a giant peacock.

“Félix?!” everyone else said.

“I've been watching this place, looking for a way to help you two. When I heard the commotion, I knew it had to be you. Want to get out of here?”

“Don’t you dare!” Gabriel shouted.

Black Cat Kagami picked up Adrien, and she ran out, followed by Argos and his peacock.

Chapter Text

“Now what?!” Tomoe demanded.

Gabriel breathed in, “We continue with the plan.”

“You can’t be serious!”

“I’m deadly serious,” I have a day left before my life ends. I can’t afford to spend it chasing our children… besides, we can kill two birds with one stone.”

The Alliance rings showed fake footage of Adrien and Kagami being kidnapped by Ladybug and Chat Noir.

“Hello, I’m Gabriel Agreste, designer of Alliance and father to Adrien,” His Alliance Avatar said, “My son and his friend Kagami are victims of Ladybug and Chat Noir. If you want to help me save them, say, ‘Alliance, Miraculize me!’”

“Claws off,” Kagami said.

“How did you get Chat Noir’s Miraculous?” Argos asked Kagami.

“He sent me to help them break out,” Plagg answered.

Argos narrowed his eyes, “Why would he do that?”

Before Adrien or Plagg could say anything, a voice cried, “There they are!”

It was a figure in a white costume and a circle where his face should be. Several more just like him came out of portals.

“He must be working with Ladybug and Chat Noir!” One said.

“Release them!” Another said.

“What are you talking about?” Adrien said, “He just helped save us, and what do Ladybug and Chat Noir have to do with anything?”

“They’ve been brainwashed!”

“We have to get them away from that ally of Ladybug and Chat Noir!”

The three of them fought the figures who used various Miraculous powers.

Monarch! Adrien thought, What did he do?

“Plagg, claws–”

One of the Miraculized jumped onto Kagami, causing her to drop the Miraculous.

Plagg flew after it.

“Let me go!” Kagami cried out.

The peacock screeched and kicked the Miraculized off her.

“Clout!” Several Miraculized called out and started attacking the peacock.

“No!” Argos cried as the peacock faded away.

One of the Miraculized grabbed Adrien, “Hey! What are you doing?”

“I’m doing this for your own good!”

Plagg flew to him and put the ring back on his finger. Adrien couldn’t get away to transform in secret.

He had no choice.

“Plagg, claws out!”

Chat Noir broke free from the figure's grasp.

Everyone stared at him in shock.

“You’re Chat Noir?!” Argos said.

“No!” One of the figures said, “It doesn't make sense!”

“You can’t be Chat Noir!”

“You can’t kidnap yourself!”

The figures all clutched their heads, and their Alliance rings sparked and broke, turning them back into ordinary people.

While this was happening, lasers pointed at Chat Noir, and more figures appeared.

“Adrien! Those lasers only appeared after you transformed!” Kagami said.

He realised what she was suggesting, “Claws in!”

The lasers disappeared, and the figures were again confused by Adrien being Chat Noir.

“Let’s get out of here!” Argos said, and they ran for it.

They learned from the news that the figures called themselves Miraculized and got their powers from an app on the Alliance rings his father allegedly created after he and Kagami were “kidnapped” by Ladybug and Chat Noir and that they were tearing the planet apart looking for them.

“I know Ladybug and I always say it’s us against the world, but I never thought we would actually be fighting the world,” Adrien said, “Monarch has to be behind this. He’s hijacked the Alliance network!”

Argos and Kagami exchanged looks.

“We have to tell him,” Kagami said.

“Tell me what?”

Argos looked at him sadly, “Didn’t you wonder how I gave the Miraculous to Monarch?”

“Sure,” Adrien said, uncertain.

“It’s because I figured out his identity.”

“What?! How did you manage that?”

“Because I know him, we both do.”

Several pieces clicked into place, “No,” He said in denial.

“Monarch didn't hijack the Alliance network. He designed it, helped build it, has been in control of it from the start.”

Adrien shook his head, but he couldn't deny reality. It made too much sense.

“He’s your father.”

Adrien collapsed, tears in his eyes as Plagg, Argos and Kagami embraced him.

Chapter Text

“Argos and Kagami told Adrien everything about his father, his mother and the truth of their conceptions.”

While he is recovering from the shock, Adrien has another headache and experiences the nightmare of a world destroyed by Anticat.

He considers sending Plagg away again but hears the destruction the Miraculized are causing all around London.

The world is already being destroyed, and he is one of the few who can stop it, so he keeps his Miraculous.

“I have to face him,” Adrien said, “Back in Paris.”

“How? Argos said, “You can’t transform without telling the Miraculized your location.”

“Maybe I can. Ladybug and I were able to fool an Akuma with a similar power by swapping Miraculous.”

Argos clutched his Miraculous protectively, “Adrien… I can’t.”

“It’s okay,” He said, “I wanted to try something else anyway.”

He got out his power-ups.

“Oh man!” Plagg complained but obediently ate the purple cheese.

“Power up!”

No lasers pointed at him.

“It worked!” Astrocat said.

“We’re coming too,” Kagami said.

“You can’t,” Astrocat said, “I could give Félix a spare power-up but not you.”

“Félix could carry me.”

“Without protection, you wouldn't survive the high speed needed to get there in time.”

“I can create something that Kagami can fly on at a safe speed and escort her while you fly ahead,” Argos suggested.

Astrocat thought it over and agreed it was a reasonable plan.

He handed Argos a space power-up and flew toward Paris at top speed.

“Ladybug!” Monarch calls out.

Marinette and Tikki didn’t dare say a word.

“Where are you?”

He searched the building meticulously until finally, he arrived in the kitchen.

He opened the cupboard they were hiding in, “Found you!” He dragged Marinette out, who looked at him with a determined expression.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng?!”

“Tikki, spots on!”

The lasers pointed at her, and the Miraculized returned.

Astrocat spotted the lasers pointed at his home.

“Ladybug!”

He flew straight into the window and smashed through.

Monarch the Miraculized and Ladybug turned in shock at the sound.

“Get away from her, Gabriel!”

Monarch was shocked he knew his identity.

“How did you know?”

“Your nephew told me everything, you being Monarch, Nathalie being Mayura, your wife frozen under the house, the truth about your son and nephew, everything!”

“Where are Adrien and Kagami?!” The Miraculized demanded.

Astrocat pointed at Monarch, “He has them.” 

“Wait, what?”

“Give us Adrien and Kagami!”

The Miraculized attacked Monarch as Ladybug transformed into Cosmobug, and they flew away to regroup.

“What’s the plan m’lady?”

A voice said, “You can start by explaining what’s going on.”

They looked to see Majestia flying above them.

Chapter Text

The three of them flew to where their allies were fighting.

“Finally!” Alya cried, “Where have you been?”

“FightingMonarchwhoisGabrielAgreste!” Cosmobug said quickly.

“Whoisinhishomeandweneedtogetbacktheretostopthis!” Astrocat said equally quickly.

It took the Resistance, United Heroez, and Guardians a few moments to decipher what they said.

“Adrien’s father is Monarch?!” Nino said, “...that makes more sense than it should.”

A thundercloud appeared with the silhouette of a dragon visible.

“Ladydragon,” Alya said as the hero sent lighting at the Alliance rings.

She was joined by a second dragon ridden by a familiar figure.

“Kagami?!” Cosmobug asked, “Where did she get a dragon?”

“A gift from her boyfriend, I suspect,” Astrocat said as his cousin joined the fight.

“Doorman!” Knigntowl shouted, “Open a door to the Agreste mansion!”

He nodded and did so.

Through the portal, they saw Monarch finish off the last of the Miraculized he was fighting.

“Go!” Majestia told them, “We’ll hold them back!”

Cosmobug, Astrocat, Eagle, Uncanny Valley, the Resistance and Guardians ran for the portal to confront the villain.

“Stop them!” One of the Miraculized cried before Knightowl took her down.

They made it through, and Doorman closed the portal.

“You think you can stop me? I have nothing to lose!”

“So you’re son means nothing to you?” Nino said.

“What? No! That’s not–”

Nino ran forward and grabbed the Turtle Miraculous, but nothing happened when he put it on.

“Where’s Wayzz?! What did you do?!”

Monarch vomited black dust, “The Kwamis are my prisoners – pathetic little beasts in cages!” Everyone bristled at those words, “There are people who are content in following the rules, and people who bend the world to their wishes! You played Guardian of the Miraculous Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Everyone but Alya and Su-han looked at Cosomobug in shock, “I reinvented their magic! And once I’ve taken yours and Chat Noir’s from you, I’ll reconfigure the whole universe too, as I proclaim my wish!”

“You desecrate the Miraculous, use them for evil and plan to remake the universe!” Su-Han cried, “You are no Guardian!”

He jumped forward and threw vicious punches and kicks before snatching another Miraculous.

“Grab the Miraculous!” Cosmobug said, “We can’t use them, but we can still take them away from him!”

Cosmobug, Astrocat and the Guardians took the brunt of the fighting, while the Resistance played supporting roles.

“You’re a disgrace, Gabriel!” The Owl cried out, distracting him enough for Luka to take another Miraculous.

“You’re Akuma designs are hideous!” Zoé added, “I thought you were supposed to be a talented fashion designer!”

Penny took another Miraculous.

“I thought I had been a bad father,” Jagged said, “But you make me seem parent of the year in comparison.”

“Don’t you dare–aaahh!”

Fang had bitten his leg, and Jagged took the opportunity to take another Miraculous.

One by one, they took the Miraculous from him.

“Lucky Charm!” Cosmobug cried, causing a piano to drop on Monarch.

Monarch got up with a groan.

Astrocat extended his staff and knocked the Butterfly Miraculous off, causing him to de-transform into Gabriel.

“Noooo!!”

They restrained him and took off the remaining Miraculous.

“It’s over, Gabriel,” Astrocat told him, “You lost!”

The Miraculized started to portal in.

“There they are!”

“Where are Adrien and Kagami!”

“Give them back!”

Cosmobug grabbed the Butterfly Miraculous, “Power down, Tikki. Nooroo, Unify!”

Ladyfly snapped her fingers, but the Miraculized weren’t affected.

“I didn’t use my Miraculous to create them,” Gabriel taunted, “They got their powers from the Alliance network.”

The Miraculized started to overwhelm them.

“Lucky Charm!” Cosmobug got an Adrien poster.

Astrocat knew what it meant.

“Ladyfly!” He said, “I have a way to buy us breathing space, but I would have to reveal my identity for it to work.”

“What? No! There has to be another way!”

“There’s no time to think of another way!”

Ladyfly tried to think, but it almost got her paralysed by a Miraculized, and she realised he was right.

“Do it.”

“Hey!” He shouted, “You want Adrien Agreste? Here I am! Claws in!”

Chapter Text

Everyone stopped.

“Well, this should be interesting,” Eagle said.

“Not possible!”

“He can’t be in two places at once!”

“It has to be a trick!”

The Alliance rings started breaking and freeing the Miraculized.

Gabriel stared open-mouthed, “Adrien?”

He didn’t spare him a look, “Ladyfly, More will come.”

She shook herself and nodded. She opened her cane, and a butterfly came out.

“You’re making an Akuma!” Kim cried.

“No, I’m making a Kamiko.”

She sent it to Uncanny Valley, “Me?” She asked.

“We need access to the Alliance network to stop the Miraculized. With a Kamiko, I can give you that access.”

The android nodded, and the Kamiko merged with her third eye.

“Reboot, I’m giving you the power to access and control the Alliance network. Do you accept this gift I am offering you for the greater good?”

“I do,” Uncanny Valley is Kamikotized into Reboot.

More Miraculized break in.

“Adrien is here!”

“We have to save him!”

“This ends now,” Reboot said as she closed her eyes and connected to the Alliance network.

The Miraculized felt it, “What’s happening?”

“Miraculized, reboot!”

Every Alliance ring across the globe was reset, turning the Miraculized back to normal.

“No!” Tomoe cried out, “This can’t be happening!”

Ladyfly took back the Kamiko, “Nooroo, divide!”

She threw the Lucky Charm in the air, “Miraculous Ladybug!”

The ladybugs spread over the whole planet, undoing the damage the Miraculized caused and freeing the people of Nightormentor’s nightmares.

Gabriel coughed, “Adrien–”

“Save it! I’ve been tormented by nightmares for days that you deliberately gave me! You almost destroyed the world today. Do you honestly think she would want anything to do with you after she learnt what you have done?”

“She wouldn't know. I would use the wish to change the past so she never got sick in the first place.”

“At the cost of an innocent person’s life!”

Gabriel coughed more black dust.

“Not to mention your own condition. You were planning to use the wish to heal yourself as well, weren’t you?”

“Not just myself.”

“What?”

Ladybug put her hand on his shoulder, “Adrien, I didn’t get a chance to tell you before, Nathalie…”

His eyes widened, “No,” He said quietly, “No, no!”

He ran to Nathalie’s room.

“Gabriel and Tomoe were arrested that day, not that Gabriel lived long enough to be sentenced. Since the Miraculized remembered nothing, only the Resistance, Guardians and Heroes knew Marinette and Adrien’s identity and told no one.”

Weeks later, Adrien attended Nathalie’s funeral, not long after his mother’s second funeral. He did not go to his father's.

“It was bad enough that he made me grieve for my mother a second time, but then after everything Nathalie did for him, he just left her to die alone,” He said quietly to Marinette.

“She wasn’t alone,” Marinette reassured him.

“I know, thanks for that. I just wish I could have told her…”

Marinette put her hand on his shoulder, “She knew.”

After the funeral, Adrien returned home with Amélie and Félix, who had moved to Paris and taken Adrien in.

In her lair, Cerise looked at the laptop she had stolen.

It was a shame she hadn't gotten the Butterfly Miraculous as she planned. But she did have the schematics for parts of the Alliance rings that allowed them to Miraculize people. In time, she would repurpose it to create Akumas without a Miraculous.

She smiled evilly, and then she would have her revenge.

“And so a new villain rises, but so does a new hero.”

“You’re giving the Butterfly Miraculous to me?!” Socqueline asked.

“Yes,” Ladybug said, “Monarch was able to steal the Miraculous because I kept them all together, so I allowed the other heroes to keep their Miraculous to prevent it from happening again.”

“But that still left one Miraculous left,” Chat Noir added, “And we decided to give it to you.”

Socqueline opened the little box and was blinded by a purple light.

“Hi, I’m Nooroo, your Kwami.”