Chapter Text
Mayfly
Chapter 1: Dark Moth
"Tikki, spots on!"
The transformation washed over her, giving her the boost of energy she desperately need.
The current akuma, Dark Moth, was exactly what they expected. They had been prepared, and had the upper hand - something that had yet to change, even as the battle dragged on.
The problem was simple - Dark Moth had all the powers of the previous akumas, including Sapotis. That meant that until Markov could locate the original Dark Moth with the akuma, he could keep multiplying. Ladybug wouldn't say that they were overwhelmed, but she had used enough lucky charms to detransform, even with their new power-up.
Leaving her hiding place behind, Ladybug flew up and landed on a roof. She activated one of her super cool upgrades - a ladybug drone, which lived on the top of her yo-yo until she needed it - and sent it to do surveillance. Tikki the Second, as Plagg had started calling it, flew away with a mechanical grace.
"Markov, are you tapped in?" Ladybug asked.
"Affirmative, Ladybug," Markov said. "Dark Moth Prime is still in hiding, but Lis Tigre and Pigmy could use help. Sending location now."
Ladybug watched the location come up on her yo-yo, and flew in that direction.
She loved having wings.
It wasn't the only bonus of her new upgrades - she now, finally, had pockets, foot support, and even some armor. Her yo-yo could now change to a staff or shield, and the drone was a big bonus.
Lis Tigre and Pigmy were near the Seine, fighting a Dark Moth with Stormy Weather's powers. He was forcing them to dodge lightning strikes, and using wind gusts to throw their attacks of balance. Pigmy's weapon - a ribbon wand - and been thrown into the river.
"Pigmy, Lis Tigre, I'm coming in," Ladybug said over the comms before folding her wings back and diving at the Dark Moth.
Like Sapotis, the Dark Moths disappeared when whacked in the location of the akuma - this time, a silver bracelet on his right wrist. Ladybug changed her yo-yo to a staff and used her downward momentum to ram it into the bracelet, shattering it and making the Dark Moth disappear.
She tucked and rolled to soften the landing, her wings shifting to protect her neck.
"Flying looks so fun!" Pigmy said.
With her nearly all pink outfit, it was easy to Rose behind the mask. She definitely had adapted quickly to the pig miraculous, proving quickly she had been the right choice.
"I definitely enjoy it," Ladybug admitted. "You two okay?"
Lis Tigre nodded. "We're fine. Thanks for the save."
Even with her mask, Lis Tigre never looked like she was hiding the same way Juleka did. She was absolutely stunning with her hair pulled back, and Ladybug was hoping Juleka would pick up the habit in her civilian life, too.
"Look out!" Pigmy tackled Lis Tigre, and Ladybug dodged off to the side.
A boat slid into the pavement where the three superheroes had been standing. It vanished a second later, revealing Stampede behind it.
"Sorry!" Stampede apologized with a wince. "It's hard to aim something so big."
To Ladybug, her words were in fluent French - that was part of the magic of the miraculous, translating automatically and hiding Sadie's British/American accent.
"Stampede, there is a metal giant by the school," Markov said. "Ladybug, the dragon has regenerated."
Ladybug groaned. "Again?"
She kicked off, spreading her wings and taking to the skies. The dragon was easy to spot, and since Ladybug had already dealt with it twice, easy to defeat.
The dragon vanished, and Ladybug landed on a roof to catch her breath.
Her ears barely caught the sound of an arrow being released, and she turned towards the sound.
Kota jumped in front of her, catching the arrow with ease. The magic died in her hands.
She flipped the arrow around and shot it at a Dark Moth like a dart, forcing him to dodge.
"Nice save!" Ladybug said.
"Thanks," Kota said.
Ladybug wrapped the Dark Moth with her yo-yo and yanked him towards them. He landed roughly on the roof top, and Kota broke his bracelet.
"Need help!"
"Requesting help with an akuma."
"I've got the first one," Ladybug said. "You help Pegasus."
Kota nodded, and they ran off in opposite directions.
A few allies Ladybug found Bunnyx and Viperion fending off a Dark Moth, Bunnyx barely avoiding being cataclysm and Viperion close to detransforming.
Ladybug dove and kicked the Dark Moth in the face, sending him backwards. Bunnyx used the hook of her umbrella to grab his ankle, flipping him onto his back. With a stomp, Ladybug broke his bracelet, and he vanished.
"Thanks," Viperion said. "He was really becoming a problem."
"You okay?" Ladybug asked.
Viperion nodded. "Yeah. Just need to recharge - Sass is probably exhausted. Scales slither."
He detransformed, and Luka leaned his head back against the wall.
"Let me know if you need anything else," Ladybug said.
Luka shot her a thumbs up, and Ladybug flew off.
"Markov?" Ladybug asked.
"Looks like everything is under control," Markov reported.
Ladybug paused, mid-air, and watched the fights below. It didn't look controlled, but it was obvious who had the upper hand.
A burst of pride swelled in Ladybug's chest.
She checked her yo-yo, where she could see her drone camera. She watched for a moment, waiting to see where she was needed.
Turned out she didn't the camera, because Roi Singe went flying through the air.
Ladybug dove towards him, catching him before he landed, and gently put him back down.
"Are you okay?" Ladybug asked.
"Yep," Roi Singe. "Just - uh, got launched by the mime."
"Oh, he's fun," Ladybug replied.
"The two illusionists are back," Markov reported.
"Why don't you wreck havoc with them," Ladybug suggested. "I'll handle the mime."
Roi Singe nodded. "I've got them."
The Mime was close to the bakery, miming... something. It was hard to tell exactly what he was trying to do - not that it mattered.
Ladybug landed behind him. "Dark Moth! Is that the best you've got?"
The Dark Moth turned towards her with a scowl. "Ladybug. You-"
Ladybug didn't let him finished, snapping her yo-yo out and breaking the bracelet.
"Incoming!"
A portal opened above Ladybug, forcing her to move out of the way as a stream of water roared down. A Dark Moth with a mermaid tail fell onto the ground, and second later Pegasus landed next to him, easily breaking the bracelet. Kota landed beside Pegasus, soaking wet.
"Good job you two," Ladybug said.
Kota beamed, and Pegasus smiled.
"We have another water akuma in the Seine," Markov reported. "Ladybug, Ryuko needs backup."
"Round two?" Kota asked.
"Same plan," Pegasus replied.
"Send me Ryuko's location," Ladybug replied. "And tell her I'm on the way."
Markov obliged, and Ladybug took off to help Ryuko.
Ryuko was surrounded by knights. She was handling them admirably, disarming one after the other, but until the Dark Moth - who, of course, was not in the fighting - the knights would not stay down.
"Don't worry about Ryuko."
Ladybug turned towards her partner, posed on the edge of a nearby rooftop.
"I can handle this," Chat Noir finished. He spun his baton in his hands before leaping down.
Ladybug watched them for moment, but the two were nearly unstoppable together.
"You know, you aren't the only hero who can fly around looking cool."
Ladybug turned and quirked her eyebrow at Queen Bee, who was fluttering behind her.
"We're running out of villains to fight," Ladybug said.
"Sounds like the opposite of problem," Queen Bee replied.
"Queen Bee, could you please freeze this guy?" Roi Singe asked.
"No problem," Queen Bee replied, easily turning to head in that direction.
A strange orange mist filled the street, and Ladybug landed on the rooftop to investigate.
What was that? It didn't match with anyone's powers, except for -
Ladybug caught something moving. It was invisible, except for the fact that the mist disappeared as it moved.
The figure turned away from the mist, smacking right into Rena Rouge. With a swift chop from her flute, the Dark Moth vanished.
Ladybug landed next to Rena Rouge.
"Nice thinking," she said.
Rena Rouge grinned. "Thanks."
"Everyone's doing such a good job, I don't know what to do," Ladybug admitted.
"I could use some help!"
Ladybug turned to see Carapace trading blows with a Dark Moth with four arms.
"L-"
"I've got this, LB," Rena Rouge said. "Mirage!"
The mirage engulfed the Dark Moth. Ladybug couldn't tell what it was, except that a second later, Carapace had destroyed the bracelet.
"Thanks babe," Carapace said.
"Anytime."
"Ladybug, your drone has found him," Markov said. "Hiding under the Eiffel Tower."
"Great," Ladybug replied. "Give me ten seconds."
She kicked off into the air and zoomed towards the Eiffel Tower. It was easy to locate Dark Moth, now that Ladybug knew what to look.
"It's over," Ladybug announced, landing behind the Dark Moth.
"Not quite yet," Dark Moth replied.
Ladybug rolled her eyes. He wasn't even armed.
The bracelet broke easily, and Ladybug quickly purified the akuma.
"That took a total of thirty seconds," Markov reported.
"Close enough," Ladybug responded. "Miraculous Ladybug!"